Happily Everafter
by Unreadable85
Summary: The Vampire slayer, Dru, is the best there is, never let one monster get away, and shes only 15! The one thing she hasnt to give up is her time. One day she sees the only thing in the world that can slow her down, A guy, suprise, suprise.
1. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1**_

Standing on Main in front of the court house, I waited for my friends. It was 9:53pm. I had school the next day but I couldn't care. Some would think it was dangerous and stupid for me to just be going out this late, but I have reason to stand out, my friends like to come along. You see, I'm the slayer. I know I know you think I'm Buffy or something right. No that's all fiction, Well some of it. The part about when one slayer dies and the next is called to the position is true, and having the super strength and stuff. And trust me the strength of ten men! Ha! But you do live until you're killed. And the whole watcher thing, that's more like a mentor. They give you all this insightful knowledge. But there are different people you spar with almost never your "watcher."

My friends approached me. Although I was the new slayer for about 6 months, (I did have prior training, though I didn't know it was training it was ballet, karate, and gymnastics. Now I do Parkour. I like to call it street running though.) My friend still depended on me. For incase they didn't know how to stop something. They didn't have my strength, though they did do all the extra activities with me. (I made them!) So they could protect themselves just to a certain extent. For regular vampires however, they were capable of killing. Most of the time, I spar with them.

"Hi Dru!" huffed Criss the first of my friends to get there. The others were a few yards away still. Criss was the one who looked forward to grave yard killing, so she ran over eager to start. She was always eager about everything though. She was freckle-faced had deep brown eyes and "flippy" brown hair, she could never keep it out of her face. She wore black a long wool coat, a knit purple velvet scarf that flowed off her shoulder and down her back. She almost looked like a French person with her styles. Sometimes I half expected her to start speaking French. She always has this ear to ear smile on her face, and loved everyone. The most loyal friend you could ask for.

"Hey Criss." I said with an almost weak smile. She was so tiny, I always worried about her. I don't think I ever showed my worry for her before because she cocked her head to the side and said,

"What's wrong?"

Shaking my head I said "Nothing why?"

"Never mind" Then she pulled he bag off her shoulder and opened it to show me the contents. "I got wooden stakes, holly water balloons, and just incase another werewolf, sliver stakes."

"Great I would have just stopped at the balloons though." I laughed. "Plus sometimes you could know the werewolf the best thing to do is to ether capture them or let them go. You can always see them in there human form after you kill them." I looked up to see everyone around. "They don't dust." I explained "Hey guys."

"Way to get us psyched about the fight Dru!" Jack said with a dark sarcasm. He was the "funny guy" the always had a smart comment to make. Though most of the time he was funny some of the time it didn't help. He was the punk-rock-skater of the group most likely to end up in jail. He was wearing long shorts with giant pockets (like mine) the pockets probably contained a stake or two, a sweat shirt and a flat billed hat. "So, Dru, where are we going tonight?"

"I don't know do you want to pick?"

"NO."

"Well then who wants to, I'm sick of picking." I folded my arms to show that I meant it.

"I will." Calmly volunteered Dave, Dave was the calm "Goth" one of us I guess. He was wearing heavy eyeliner and chain pants, which I strongly discourage for trying to be quiet in a grave yard or in back streets, but he didn't care. He was wearing a My Chemical Romance shirt and wrist bands.

"Fine Dave, where do you want to go?" Max said in a huff. Completely confident that Dave would pick somewhere stupid, Max had to be in control or second in control or he wasn't happy. Max wore a t-shirt and jeans like every other day.

Dave shot him a strong glare. "Well do you want to pick, because I didn't here you say anything."

"Well if I did pick I wouldn't be stupid!"

"Ladies, Ladies please." said Jack "Can we sort this out like big kids."

"Shut up man!" yelled Max "I'll drive this stake in to your eye." Max yanked the stake from his pocket, and then Dave grabbed his arm.

"Here we go." I breathed. "Okay, here's what's going to happen. Max you're going to give me that Stake, Jack you're going to keep your smart mouth closed, and Dave will pick were we go." Max turned to complain, but instead I put up my hand. "I don't care Max he called it and he's going to get it. Did you never attend elementary school? Those rules apply still. Well…here any way."

"You're freaking kidding me! Your reason is that he _called it_!"

"Yeah, Max, it is. Do you have a problem?" I refolded my arms.

"No." Max folded his arms too.

"Do you think you can handle holding your stake?" I asked annoyed.

"YES." He said as he snatched it back from my hand.

"Good. Now Dave, where do you want to go?"

"Well." Dave started as though he had just been rudely interrupted. "I was thinking we could go down town and take the back streets and allies." He glanced at Max to see his opinion. Max rolled his eyes away. Then Dave's eyes traced back to look at Criss. She was nodding in agreement. He smiled "Criss agrees." He said as if we were going to say no and go somewhere else.

"Okay then, let's go." I said. We all walked casually behind the court house and continued north toward the bars of down town Canandaigua. As If nothing happened, Max started a conversation.

"So did today suck or what!"

"Yeah! Man, I couldn't stop getting yelled at. Not if I tried." Complained Jack

"Well I asked out Delilah Johnson. She didn't respond she just turned and walked away like she didn't hear me." Max almost shouted.

"Harsh." Agreed Jack with a disgusted face and a slight nod.

"Well you can't get 'em all Maxi." Said Dave, though Dave had probably made out with Delilah once or twice, Dave had this attractive pull to girls, even preps. I even made out with him before I think the only one who may have been able to hold her tongue, was Criss, though I couldn't be sure. But Dave did seem really interested in Criss lately. He's been single for longer than usual too. But I don't know if it's because he likes Criss, or the girls of Canandaigua have smarted up.

"What book are you reading now Dru?" said Jack trying to spare everyone Max and Dave fighting about girls.

"Umm…I don't have a book." That was the strangest thing I ever said. I couldn't believe it I just didn't have the time to read because of slaying, and parkour.

Criss's mouth hung open "No way you don't have a book! It's just not normal. Being the slayer has taken out reading for you Dru! When was the last time you read a book?" She spoke so urgently that I almost didn't take it all in.

"I…I don't know. I think the last book I read was blood ties 2" I had been reading scince I was 13 my whole life I fought dyslexia and then one day I started reading and didn't stop. That is I didn't stop until now, now that I had actually become the slayer. Now in 10th grade I stopped reading. (Yeah I was the slayer of age 15. and I was staying out past 11:00pm on school nights, but I had to I was actually the only one old enough to do it. The others were like 13 and younger but sadly they probably won't get the chance unless I die.) I had to get a book tomorrow after school before sun down and right after Parkour. "Don't worry Criss, I'll get one tomorrow. I promise."

"Thank you. The last thing we need is a sign of an apocalypse coming." Dave and Jack grinned at her comment.

I started to laugh but then I stopped. I guess I was looking like I was listening, because Max immediately shushed everyone and said "Dru, what's up?"

"Shhh!" I insisted "I hear something." I pulled my stake to get ready, and crouched down to jump if needed. That triggered everyone else. They all crouched behind me. I could feel Max's breath on my back. It was warm and becoming very short. I worried because Max had asthma but most of the time could control it so I didn't turn to check on him.

That's when I heard a scream. It came from the next ally I was crouched by. I jumped up and ran down the ally. Incase of a false alarm a tucked the stake up my sleeve, but let it out enough so that I could kill anything in a hurry if needed. Next to a dumpster there was a girl tucked in a ball on her side and a vampire hovered over her.

"HEY!" I yelled to distract the vampire, who was very focused on the girl. So focused that he didn't here me run up.

He immediately turned, then grinned. I kept the stake up my sleeve to make him think I was unable to defend myself. "Can I help you officer?" He chuckled at me. I guessed he could tell that I was the slayer. I glared at him. "Are you the new kid?"

"Damn straight." I grinned at the game he was trying to play. He frowned a little that I wasn't more scared.

"You don't know who I am do you?" He tilted his head and stepped forward.

"No, and I can't say that I care ether."

"Ha, you have a bit of an attitude don't you? Maybe if I drink your blood…" I cut him off

"Ha! Nobody's getting close to my veins, I'm sorry to tell you." I flicked my wrist and the stake flu out in to my hand. I lunged forward, then he froze. A direct hit to the heart! I watched as he crumble to the ground. I turned to see the girl who I just saved and half expected her to be gone by now but instead she was stuck staring at me. I looked at her and realized that I knew her. I froze.

"Oh crap!" Jack helpfully put in. That forced her to turn and look at them too.

"Hey ya, Amy, how's it going?" I said trying to think of an excuse.

She was still frozen. Then began babble. "wha… wha… what happened? How did you… what did he… what wha… was that?"

"Umm… that was a….." I didn't need to think of an answer, Dave knocked her out with pressure points. He had come around from the other side of the buildings, and saw the trouble.

"Okay don't freak out everyone, I think she was drinking, so we can carry her home and it was all a dream. Good idea?"

"I don't know we'll find out." Dave swung her up in his arms and we began the walk to her house. Of course on the way I killed a few vampies, as I like to call them.

We walked up the brick steps of Amy's house it was near 11:00. We knocked on the front door. The next thing we knew there was Amy's dad's face flushed of panic and rage.

"What happened!" Amy's dad almost yelled. "i…is she okay? Oh god please, tell me she's okay!"

"She's fine, I promise!" Criss yelled. "she…she just had a little much to drink. Take her up to her room and she'll wake up soon. Huh…and have some aspirin waiting for her too." Criss sounded like a doctor, but I couldn't smile I was with in a yard of Amy's dad's face and he was practically petrified.

"Okay, thank you so much. She walked out at 9:00 in a storm and well, thank you." He nodded and thanked us once more and then took his daughter and the door shut.

"Well I hope she doesn't know that she wasn't sleeping, when she was attacked. If she did then we're going to need a huge…excuse." I warned.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2**_

In school the next day we stood in our normal spot in front of the school. We joked and laughed until we saw Amy looking at us. We looked at her with concern. She looked scared of us, but she didn't say anything she looked with concern not fear. As though she was worried about us. I hoped that she thought it was all a dream from passing out from alcohol poisoning.

"Do you think…" I didn't need to finish my sentence. Jack nodded and headed over to talk and figure out what we needed to know. Jack had an ability to make people talk. Things could pour out of people in his presents. That's how he figured out that I was the slayer.

Suddenly I felt hands wrap around my waist and a hot breath on my neck. "Good morning Dru." Was breathed into my ear, Kyle.

I sighed and rolled my eyes as I pried his hands off my waist. "Can I be of some assistance to you Kyle?"

"Well…" A grin smeared over his face. "Do you know what would make this a wonderful morning?"

"I can't say that I even care to know." I pushed him an arms length away, then folded my arms.

Stepping back to almost hover over me he said "A good morning kiss."

Rolling my eyes again I said "Please do hold your breath until that happens." I grinned and walked away, happy with my choice of words. Criss followed me happily with Max and Dave.

"Just give it up man." Chuckled Dave. Max laughed along. I didn't have to look back to know that Kyle hung his head and followed shallowly behind us.

Me and Jack had first period together that day so I was glad I could figure out what was really the case with us and Amy. It was gym thank god or we wouldn't get the chance to talk about the, delicate, situation. We were going to the track we always walked faster and faster then jog and run. It was early in the morning and cold so I wore a sweat jacket. As we started walking me and Jack started to talk.

"So what's up with Amy?" I asked in a hushed but casual tone.

"Well…it was more like she was almost scared of me. When I talked to her she had this dumbstruck look about her. Like if I looked deep enough in her eyes I could figure it out but there was a locked door any way. She knows something but I don't know that she knows if it real or just a dream."

"We'll keep our eye on her then." I began to jog away. Jack wasn't good for keeping up with jogging, but with running I couldn't keep up. I was a better sprinter than long distance runner.

"Dru!" I glance over to see my friend, Timmy. Timmy was gay. He had the best style of clothes of all the preps he knew. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and the best gossip on this side of New York. He was saving a seat for me in the 3rd row with a seat next to him and his arm in the air.

"Hey Timmy." I said as I plopped down in the seat next to him in our English class. "How's it going?"

"Good very good. How are you?"

"Okay so what do you know that I don't know you know, Tim?"

"Oh well, someone told me that Amy saw a vampire or something, like in a dream or whatever. I don't know, but what I found interesting about the story was that you were there, and you saved her.

I prayed for my expression that I knew was on my mind wasn't on my face. I hoped it was confusion instead of horror. "Well that's beyond bizarre."

Disappointment wiped over his face. "Another boring day in Canandaigua I guess then."

"I'm sorry to disappoint you Timmy. But I don't fight supernatural beings or kill humans for that matter." I grinned

"It's a pity if you did my life wouldn't be so incredibly boring we could do a Buffy thing and I could be Xander."

"And I could be Angle or Spike." added Kyle helpfully as he seated himself in the desk behind me. Then he leaned forward and grinned. "I'm still holding my breath." he said with a wink. Then he puckered up like a fish and closed his eyes.

I rolled my eyes and turned around with my hands crossed over my chest. I sat there for a minute and then Timmy decided not to talk about it, or to Kyle. For that I was thankful. Then his warm breath was in my ear again. "Dru that is a really stunning shirt, Can I read it?" I zipped up my sweat jacket into a large v neck style, and continued to ignore Kyle the rest of English. When it was finally over me and Timmy continued to our next classes together. But unfortunately for me I had the rest of the day with Kyle who loved to wrap his arm around me and over my shoulder. I can't stand him! Thank god that three of those classes were with Dave. He looked after me like a big brother would. I know I know we did make out before but there was nothing to that. We were at a party and had just kind of met. But know he was like my big brother and if I said something you did it, and if you didn't you made trouble for your self.

During lunch, the second to last period of the day, we had started to discussed what Jack had told me but then over came Kyle when we were planning on were we would meet.

"So lets have an early night how's 8:00 in front of the court house?" I asked

"Sounds perfect, I'll be there love." I looked over my shoulder hoping it would be anyone but Kyle but I was disappointed.

"Damn it Kyle, your not coming!" I said making the unwelcomeness clear to him.

"But I have to be there to watch over you. I can't have anything bad happening to you love, that would be oh too painful, I have to go."

"Believe me I have plenty of confidence I don't need your protection."

"Well I can't let just any one like, Dave, look after you! Or Max he could get mad and let you die! Criss is all around to small to carry you anywhere, and let's face it if anything funny happens all Jack will do is point and laugh. So I'm going. Let it be known I'll never leave my ladies' side!"

"One thing wrong with that last part there."

"And what would that be?"

"You first need a lady that wants you at her side." Then we all stood and continued on our way from lunch. Kyle sitting in awe, we headed outside and to the parking lot to finish our discussion.

In Biology my last class of the day I sat in the back corner leaving one seat next to me and hoping Max would making to class before… I hadn't event finished my thought when racing in came Max and Kyle. Kyle ran straight for the back to the seat next to me but Max got the handout. Then Kyle realized he needed the handout. Sadly he got up and retrieved it and Max pushed his stuff of the table and sat down.

"Hey Dru, sorry to be a little late."

"It's all good Just tell every one to show up one hour earlier and I think I'll find it in my heart to forgive you."

"So 7:00 in front for the court house?"

"Yeah but make it at the bus stop instead. Well head up to the mall for a little while."

"Okay 7:00 at the bus stop. Will do." He assured me.

"Oh and make sure that Criss knows not to bring silver stakes in her bag. Just incase I don't need the metal detector going off in the mall. Then having them find weapons in her bag. Not a good way to keep everything a secret."

"Obe-kaybe." Then I enjoyed the view of Kyle sitting in the farthest direction from me in the room.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

"Finally!" Surprised at the voice I glanced up not to show fear. Instead it was Kyle.

I rolled my eyes and put my hands in the air, like asking why. "What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded it from him with a stomp of my last step toward him.

"Do you think I'm so stupid that I think you wouldn't change the time! I've been here since 4:30."

"You're insane. Why do you want to hang around people who don't want you?"

"Because, I want the people who don't want me." A grin smeared over his face. "And I really want you."

"Never going to happen I'm sorry to tell you." I was really sorry for him. He had devoted himself to making me like him since the 7th grade. At once we were actually friends, 1st grade to 8th. I didn't take well to him hugging me and grabbing at me. Everyone else knew that, and they protected me when they could. The thing I hated most about Kyle was, no matter how many times my old boyfriends and best friends beat him up, he won't stop. Not even my own harsh words could do that.

"That's not fair. You won't even give me a chance! Maybe you could give me one day or date to try. I know you very well Dru, I won't let you go with out having one chance to know that I am wrong."

"Cant you just trust me! I know you and me don't fit that way! We're good friends, but together it's just not going to work!" My arms were flailing in the air. Why didn't he get it. Why wouldn't he go away! I didn't even want him for a friend if he couldn't understand. I did not love him and never would. I thought about it before, giving him a chance. I didn't work in books and it only worked once in a movie. Those were fiction anyway. "Trust me Kyle, it's a lost cause."

Suddenly everyone was around me, at my back making a half circle around me. And suddenly the bus pulled up. I turned away, with out looking over my shoulder I said, "Good bye Kyle." I took the first step on to the bus. I really did hope that would do it. It worked, Kyle didn't get on the bus. The bus ride was silent. At the mall I wasn't completely myself. When we got back I knew it worked because Kyle wasn't still at the bus stop.

I leaped and before I could pull my stake out the slightly attractive male vampire it dusted. My hand fell through the dusty air where his body once was. It through me off balance and I almost fell into the lake. "Ahhh!"

"Holy crap, Dru!" Dave grabbed my shirt in-between my shoulder blades, grabbing my bra strap too. The force he used to yank me back knocked the wind out of me. When he got a good grasp he grabbed my shoulder and I gasped for air.

I sat on a rock to catch my breath "Thanks big bro." I nodded at Dave with the first clear breath.

"Well what did you expect from your big brother." It was more of a statement then a question. I laughed and tried to stand. It didn't really work all that well. Dave was there though to sit me back down. I loved my big brother! I didn't have any siblings because my parents were actually "sent" to me they were kind of like my "watchers." The counsel was actually like a little government that sent out mentors from when you're born but there's also all these other people looking after you too. Like my gym teacher and the librarian (who's a girl not like stupid Giles in Buffy, she even makes me call her Mrs.) There are people every where to lend me a hand. Anyway because I had adopted parents I didn't have any siblings and Dave was happy to fill the place.

"Are you good?" Dave asked with some concern in his voice.

"Yeah, just help me stand up and I'll walk it off. It's just the lakes smell, it's over whelming." It wasn't really a truthful story. The lake did stink like crazy, but it wasn't what was keeping me from staying up right, that was more of the wind just had been knocked out of me. I looked up to see if Dave had his hand ready for me, and to see if he bought my story. He caught my guilty look rolled his eyes, then got up and grabbed my hand.

My knees wanted to buckle but I wouldn't let them. I ended up leaning strangely to keep my knees locked. "Do you think you want to sit down now."

"I told you I'm fine."

"Make some room. She's walking here!" Jack shouted with a smile.

"Shut up. Let's go." I ordered and started "walking" it was actually more like a tin man kind of strut.

When I got home Beth and John were there. They were waiting it seemed with impatient looks on there faces.

"Hey guys. What's wrong?"

John approached me first. "Listen Dru, the school called today."

Awe struck my face. It was only partially the looks on their faces that gave it away the other half was the feeling under my skin in my face. It was like I was sweating under the skin. I knew my face most have been red as I flipped through all the reasons. I knew it wasn't grades, but could it be my tiredness in class it was like I had been working double lately maybe my teacher noticed. Then it hit me, "Amy" When the looked up at me it hit me I had said it out loud.

"Was it about me accidentally stacking a vamp. In front of Amy Grey?" They looked surprised at me I couldn't tell if it was that I had known or if it was that I made a mistake.

John Shook his head in disappointment. "Dru, Amy was spacing out during class so the teacher sent her to the guidance counselor. She looked pale I guess. But she told the counselor she had been drinking passed out and had a dream about you killing a, monster, with a wooden stake?" And she also said she wasn't completely sure it was a dream. The counselor went to check it out to ease her mind while checking your grades, to show how hard you were working. Instead he found you were sleeping in class."

"Oh my god. I…I can't believe it. Dave made her pass out. We told her dad she was drinking and passed out. We thought we were in the clear. Holy Crap!" After that I collapsed, I huddled into a ball and grabbed my knees like I was cold. "wha…What's," I swallowed hard trying to regain my speech. "What's going to happen?"

"We're not sure yet."

"I don't want to leave. I mean there has to be a way, a spell. I can't leave!" I couldn't remember anything not my name, not anything. All I could see was a girl driving a wooden stack through a vampires heart while another girl watched in horror. I knew both girls but I couldn't tell who they were. Then just as fast as it all left me it all came rushing back I was the girl with the stake and Amy was the one watching. My hands were on my head and I was on my knees. I had laced my hands though my hair and pulled and screamed out of frustration.

"I don't think any thing bad will happen just do your best to get in earlier so your school work is better."

I shook my head to tell them the impossibility, "I can't it's like all the monsters are coming out more often. It's really annoying. It's like they're looking for me!"

"Well," Beth was talking now and looking for the right answer it seemed. "You have the best record in the slayer history. In, what six months now, you haven't let one monster get away."

"No way!" I breathed it in disbelief. "So now what, more of them just want to just kill me."

"Yeah," John continued "They want to be the best. The word is spreading quickly now. The best will come eventually and if you kill them then more and more will come because they'll bring witnesses that hide to tell the story and everyone wants to be the best. The only way out is if you kill the very best who feel too good to look for you. You find that being, and kill them. That way everyone is scared of you."

My hands were sweaty I was scared to know I had to kill the best. The weight was on my shoulders. "How the hell am I supposed to do that and not look suspicious in school?" my voice was getting higher and faster.

"Well calm down. You have a school break coming up in a week so we can go then. I know you only have six months but we can do this I promise."

"WE?! WE can do this! I'm sorry John but you're not the one all the monsters want to kill here! My life is on the line here and I don't want to gamble with it!" the anger overwhelmed me and became better than any drug.

John started again but Beth watching me clench my teeth and fist together cut him off. "Listen Dru, WE" she gestured at her and John. "Can help YOU" then she pointed at me. "Fight the monsters that are after you. Okay you need to remember that this is a team."

"I'm sorry but it just seems that Criss, Dave, Max, and Jack help a lot more than you and they are NOT, going to kill this guy with me. I won't let them get hurt even if I have to die for them not to suffer a scratch, it will happen."

"Like I said before, calm down. As if we would let you bring your friends with you to a massive slaughter. We can't put any of them in danger. I mean you taking them out patrolling with you is even against the rules." John said that like he was trying to comfort me.

"What, this is a massive, slaughter!?!?! Why the hell would I go! I'm not doing it!" at that moment I ran to my room and read myself to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

A week from the incident things seemed too whined down in school and on the monster scene. I didn't tell everyone about John's, Beth's, and my "discussion" I refused to go, I would fight all the bad guys that came and I would just deal if they killed me here. I wouldn't leave because if I did my friends would want to know where and I couldn't lie to Jack and Criss, with her innocent looks. If they knew they would want to go too. I couldn't do that. And if I told them they couldn't they would follow me. Sometimes I really hated my friends. But I lived through the baddies and stuff. Now they didn't really seem to bother coming around and Kyle was leaving me alone too. That made me really happy. But then I missed the attention. I realized that I kind of needed it to feel happy enough. Him sliding his arms around me made me feel like someone actually did care.

I saw Kyle and decided to flirt a little and maybe win back my fan club. "Hey, Kyle." It sounded casual enough so that he wasn't suspicious

"Hey Dru, is that seat taken?" he gestured to the one next to me. It was Math so I didn't have anyone but Dave who always sat on the left of me and the right side was always open.

"I guess not. Dave sits in this one." I eyeballed the seat to my left.

"Okay thanks, so are we good now?"

"If you mean can we be friends still then sure."

By lunch Kyle was grabbing my waist again. Ironically enough I hated it still. I would roll my eyes still when he did it and I would give him smart ass responses to everything. It was our old relationship, and I had more respect for it.

Max walked me home that day. We walked side by side and talked.

"So why the hell is Kyle all into you again?"

"I don't know. I tried to talk to him in math but then the old stuff started again. I wanted to be just friends, you know like you and me, with the no grabbing policy. I don't know if he took it the wrong way, because when I told him he could sit next to me he grinned and…" Then Max cut me off.

"You told him that he could sit next to you! Why the hell would you do that? Oh, now he thinks you're kind of thinking of him. Trust me nothing good can come of you doing that. He still thinks that he's in love with you. Now he thinks that you have some feeling for him that you probably don't. Unless, you do?"

I could feel the shock in my veins from the last part. "You think I, like, him. Oh yeah please! Him, you honestly think I have interest in him?!?"

"You never know Dru."

"Well now you do know I don't like him, and, I will never like him. Shit I forgot. We have parkour today. And we're going the wrong way."

"Crap. Hey do you think that they'd care if we skipped?"

"No. but I would. Why would you want to skip any way?"

"Because I was hoping to talk to you, that's why I offered to walk home."

"So you wanted to take me home to ask me about my life, Kyle, what?"

"No I didn't want to talk about, Kyle." When he said his name he spit it out like poison.

"So what did you want to talk about, and why are you avoiding it by talking about Kyle?" it had to be something HUGE. Max never ever beat around the bush to tell you something he was normally quite open and frank with you.

I turned to look at his face to make sure I heard. "Well…" He suddenly shook his head. "Nothing forget it, let's go to parkour."

"Woah, woah, woah. Tell me what's up you never hide your thoughts."

"It's really nothing you can forget it. I mean it would probably make you angry any way."

"I think that I should be the judge of what makes me angry or not."

"Well if it doesn't make you angry it will freak you out a lot. I really don't think that you want to hear this."

"You know what makes me angry, people who start to tell you something important and then turn around and say its nothing. I mean I can tell it's obviously really bothering you, can you please just tell me and get it over with!" the last time Max acted this way was when he was about to ask out Delilah. With that thought my face dropped on to the ground.

"Well Dru, I wanted to ask you…"

I cut him off before he could finish. I really couldn't hear the end of the sentence if it ended in out. "Wait!" I shouted in a rush. "I think I heard some one scream. Sorry Max, can this wait?"

"Yeah, Yeah, sure." Disappointment and calm came over him in a confusing way.

I pulled a stake out of my bag and slipped it up my sleeve. "I'm really sorry again Max, but go to parkour and tell them I'll be there later."

"No, no I can't just leave you alone out here with a monster out there."

"Yes you can Max, I'm the slayer remember."

"Yeah but if something happens to you, Dave will kick my ass for leaving you alone."

"Fare enough, but I think I'll be fine, thanks." I ran and headed off to an uncertain direction. I hoped to hear him walk away after but I heard his voice instead.

"You know what I was going to ask don't you." Max called after me.

I shook my head no and stopped running trying to keep my lie, and wanting to prove him wrong. I couldn't tell him that I didn't want to date him. But he was my friend and I really didn't want anything to screw it up. Especially because I didn't want to date him, or break up with him.

"Yes you do, I can tell." Then his foot steps ran up behind me as a tried to walk faster.

"Listen Max, all I know is that I heard someone in trouble and I need to go help them. And that's all!"

"Then I'll finish my question now."

"No!" I pushed him and ran. I felt like I was in kindergarten again. I was running from the boys on the play ground all over again.

He ran after me again. "Dru, please just let me finish the question. Please I need to do this." He yelled it as he ran after me.

"No I don't want to hear it!" I ran faster and harder as I took an ally. I knew it well. There was some boxes and a fire escape I could use to get on top of a building I could do it way faster than Max even with my book bag. So I jumped and climbed to the top of the building. And when I got to the top I saw Max looking up at me. He looked a little disappointed, but decided to hold his ground.

"I'm not leaving Dru. Just come down." With that I walked further on the roof of the building and sat.

Five minuets later the door to the roof opened. I wanted to hide but I happened to be right in front of the door. Without glancing back I said the only thing that I could. "Damn it Max, go away!"

The foot steps didn't retreat and no one said anything. At that moment I was gladder than anything that I had a stake in my sleeve. I turned around expecting something to jump at me. Instead I got a cold smile. "I knew that would get you to look at me."

Max! I swallowed hard over the lump of fear he had planted in my throat. I opened my mouth to protest his being there, instead I got his hand and the lump still in my throat made it hard to say no. "Listen, just let me ask, you know the question and you know the answer. So, Dru, will you go out with me?"

"Max! Why, why would you do this to me! Do you know how hard it is for me to turn down one of my friends?!"

Max grinned. "Well that's what I'm counting on." His voice was suddenly seductive. I didn't want it to be. I wish he didn't know me so well.

"So what you just want me to be your girlfriend because, what you just want a girl friend and I'm the most likely to say yes?!?!"

Max folded his arms. "You know me better than that Dru." He was suddenly was more cross and not so boyish. I liked guys better when they were boyish, but a cross face suited Max better.

"Max, god!" I couldn't talk to him any more. I ran back to the edge of the building and ran to the other and leaped. I looked over my shoulder as my feet planted on the next building they had to be at least 4 feet away. Max was in shock that I could just jump building to building. He had mistaken the slayers power. I knew Max couldn't make the jump. So I ran. I didn't want to make another jump like that so I decided to climb down the ladder of the next building. And I was just in the right place to see Criss strolling by. I'd guessed that she had just came from parkour. I wanted to go. But I couldn't because of Max.

"Criss!" I yelled flailing my arms in the air.

"Dru? What the hell are you doing back there? And why did you miss parkour?" she asked extending her arm to me. (I was stuck behind some boxes)

"Well I'm actually." I paused not sure that I should share, but then I remember it was Criss. "I'm hiding from Max. Well more like building leaping from him."

"What makes the slayer hide?" she said it like I was stupid.

"Max, asked me out. I really don't want to tell him no because you know he's like one of my best friends. And if I tell him yes I'll be lying to him. This totally sucks! And if I did want to date him its like, I can't break up with him and just not be his friend. It'll just hurt too much."

"I see. Well I could tell him no for you. Would that help?" she stepped back as I jumped from the top of the boxes to ground level. I stood up from my awkward crouch.

"Well I don't know? I mean isn't that like kind of me avoiding my problem?"

"Well isn't you building hopping avoiding your problem?"

She made a good point. "Yeah, I guess. So what do you want me to go tell him?"

"Well yeah, unless you want me to do it?"

"Okay, okay. I'll go tell him. Will it be all that awkward between us after that?"

She pursed her lips to the side to make a face and crossed her arms. "I don't really know it could be I don't really have a good answer but I could walk you to his house. But that's about the best I can do. And I'm not going to stand on the porch with you ether."

"Okay, I guess, lets go." She grabbed my arm and held it like we were square dancing partners. I think she was assuring that I didn't change my mind. We walked all the way to Max's house that way. I thought that I couldn't get anymore scared of anything than I was when we were standing in front of Max's house. I was wrong. Criss wasn't with me every step closer to the house. Even when she was standing next to me and let go was scary at the door I knew that Max would be the scariest but no his dad came to the door.

"Can I help you." His voice was deep and scary.

"Yeah, is Max home?"

"Yeah, hang on." Him saying yes gave me a sudden boost of confidence.

Max turned the door knob one the other side of the door and pulled. "Dru? What are you here for." It was an interrogation.

"Well I think jumping to the next building gave you the wrong idea."

"Did you?"

"Yeah, I'm here to tell you no." his shoulders dipped down and he had depression smother his face. "Don't do that Max. You knew what the answer would be. Don't make me feel bad, you knew what my answer would be." I insisted he had to know.

"Yeah, but I liked the building jumping better."

I laughed "Max listen lets not let this be awkward. It's just a notch in our friendship. Okay?"

"Yeah I guess." The song hemorrhage flooded my mind. I wanted to laugh but I couldn't, for Max's benefit.

"Bye Max, I'll see you later to night." I put my hand up in the air and my fingers peeked through the top of the sleeve on my sweet shirt. I was already half way to Criss when the door slammed shut. I wanted to cry. But I wouldn't until I left the block. I wouldn't let him know that he had hurt me by not taking it well.

"I told you Criss. He might not come tonight because of that."

"I know." She said and she grabbed my arm and we were linked again. This time she wanted to make sure I made it home alright.

"Thank you. I couldn't have done it with out your help."

There was no response. But I knew she meant your welcome.

At home I went straight up stares and sat in my room staring at the wall, that was for some reason painting pictures. It painted my past with Max. All up to our present incontinence I could see even what he was doing. I guess he was banging his head on a wall ever since I left. He wanted to hurt something but couldn't. Max wasn't always the happiest but he had a good soul.

John shook me. I snapped up. "Dru, you have to go out patrolling everyone's down stares waiting for you." I had been sleeping. It was a sad dream my face was wet. I looked in the mirror before I went down stares, incase Max was there. The color from my face was gone. I felt sick, and my throat was raw. I grabbed a cough drop and my eye liner. I shook my head to get blood flowing through again and slapped on the eye liner. After all that my cough drop dissolved before I got down stares.

"Hey guys," Max wasn't one of them. "Does anyone have gum?"

Jack whipped his hand in the air. "Gottcha, hey do you know why Max wouldn't come out?"

I swallowed as I grabbed the gum. I knew if Jack didn't see it Dave and Criss would have. "No." I shook my head "John, Beth, we're out." I shouted to the next room. I didn't really care if they heard, but I yelled it any way. I went for the door, but Dave caught my eye and I froze.

It was like we could communicate if we could or did it went something like this: "What?"

"What? Is this what you ask me? I know damn well **it's** not what. Tell me"

"It's nothing."

"Dru, who am I?"

"My big bro."

"So what happened between you and Max."

"Nothing!"

"I'm asking Criss."

"Why, you don't believe your little sister."

"That's exactly why."

"Don't!"

And that would end it. Jacks hand was in my face. "Hello, do you need some help with that door? Come on. Open the door Dru, you can do this."

I rolled my eyes and pulled open the door. "Are you happy now?!"

"Very, thank you." He stepped through the threshold with his nose in the air.

"Screw you." I pushed him and stepped out. Criss and Dave followed. I wanted to watch them to see if Criss would tell, but Jack was there bothering me. So were the damn monsters.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

Monday came slowly. Over the weekend I worked way too hard to not get paid. I yelled at Criss for telling Dave my secret about Max. I was so pissed I street ran all over Canandaigua. Dave came with me. I wasn't sure who I was closer with Dave or Criss. I didn't care. I just liked the feeling of jumping and sliding, almost falling, and dying.

Because I'm the slayer I have an advantage to any of my friends so I was a head of Dave a lot. Falling through the air gave me an extreme high. My hair was in the air. It was like the ends of my hair was getting as far away from my head as they could. I hated having to tie back my hair. An amusement park couldn't compare. Not even being in parkour, where things were built for street running.

"Dru! Slow down!" at Dave's comment I knew I was going way too fast.

"Sorry Dave." I put my hand in the air to show that I was going to stop.

Dave was finally there after 30 seconds. "God you know how to give a guy a workout." I grinned "We have to meet everyone in like ten minuets."

"Okay" I nodded "let's go."

"I need to catch some air first!" he complained.

"Fine, fine stupid kid thinks he needs to breathe." I said with sarcasm.

"F you." He said in between breaths. I grinned.

5 minuets later his breaths slowed. "Are you ready yet?!"

"Yes!" he said extending the e.

"Okay then, let's go we have five minuets now!"

"It's right down that ladder that's why I stopped you here!"

"Well, I'm going on another run real quick go down and I'll be there in a second."

"Where are you going?" it was interrogated and I didn't like it.

"Well, dad, I was thinking that I'd go around the Court House. Why is there a problem with that? Because you don't look like your in any condition to go." My arms had crossed with out me noticing and my foot slammed my weight to one hip colliding to the roof we were standing on.

His eyes narrowed at me and his arms were crossed too. His legs were both holding him up. "Fine." He snapped. "Go by yourself!"

I was shocked. He was pissed, at me! He was never angry with me! "What the hell is your problem?" my voice raised to yelling.

"What the hells my problem!" his head came forward and his finger tips were touching his chest. "What the hell is your problem?" he was suddenly closer to me and his finger tips shoved my left shoulder back. My face was less than an inch from his.

"I'm not the one with a problem." I was so pissed off, that I couldn't hit him with out breaking a bone. So instead I held my ground.

"Why did I have to ask Criss about your problems? I thought we told each other everything! God, I thought we were best friends here! You think I can't tell when something's up? I'm not stupid Dru. I know when something is bothering you. I've known you longer than anyone except for Kyle. I know you better than anyone but I guess there's still another 100 chapters to you."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about you and me Dru. Are we not best friends?"

I realized he was my best friend he was better than Criss for me. Then I wished it was him and not Criss that walked by. He would have given me some amazing advice. "I'm sorry. I really am. I did know." A tear ran down my cheek.

"Are you crying?" he was so surprised. So was I. I hadn't cried since the 3rd grade when someone kicked my ass for the first time. And I hadn't been so surprised since then. "Dru," he pulled me to his shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to make you cry."

"It's not your fault, it's mine." I whimpered out.

"Stop crying Dru, you'll make your eyeliner run."

I sniffed and pushed away so that I could wipe my eyes. "Do you have any eyeliner on you?"

I smiled as he chuckled out. "Yeah, here you go." I was so thankful.

"Where can I go to put this on in like a minuet?"

"Umm…I think we're next to a business. There should be a bathroom some where in the halls. I'll go and hold the door for you."

"Thanks, I'm sorry. I love you bro."

"love you too sis."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

Monday morning I woke up and packed my bag for school. Brushed my teeth showered and brushed my hair. I slung my bag over my shoulder and started down stares. Beth was the only one up.

"Hey, where's John doesn't he have like some work to do or something?"

"Nope, its February break this week. He only works a half shift, noon to 4:00."

"February break? Really? This sucks, I won't go back to bed now, and no ones awake!" I shook my head and returned to my room.

I sat at the desk and opened my lap top. As soon as everything booted up I logged on to AIM but sadly at 6:53 in the morning, no ones on. I was about to minimize the screen but instead someone logged on. It was Max. I wanted to log off, instead I decided to stay on. I knew he wouldn't talk to me, so I just minimized the screen. I clicked on the internet. Under the address bar I went to the history and clicked on my space. As I was logging on the most annoying thing happened, I got an IM.

It read:

_Standenstil2soon:_ Dru, I'm sorry. (it was Max)

_Longgone223:_ For what?

I knew exactly what. I just didn't have the courage to say it first.

_Standenstil2soon: _you know for asking you out and then getting really upset when you said no.

_Longgone223:_ Don't be sorry, I just want our lives to go back. I want to be friends that talk all the time again, and hunt vampires together. Well most people don't do the last one but hey, everyone has a hobby. Ours just includes stakes and the living dead, and the occasional demon. Ha, ha, ha.

_Standenstil2soon:_ anything for you Dru. Do you want to hang out? Its early I know, but I'm dressed and everything.

_Longgone223: _Sure, I'm ready too I forgot that it's Feb. break. I'm so…stupid. I have to be like the only kid in the world who doesn't know when it's Feb. break.

_Standenstil2soon: _Ha, ha, ha. Me too! Okay, so I'll pick you up in…..5 minuets?

_Longgone223: _Sure, I'll be waiting.

_Standenstil2soon:_ Okay, bye

_Longgone223: _Bye

Before he got there I closed the screen and checked my myspace. There were 2 messages, one from Dave and one from Criss. I logged off, and turned off the computer. I put down the top and looked over to the clock. I had 3 minutes to spare. I grabbed my sweatshirt and headed down to the stairs to wait on the porch.

"Beth," I yelled to the next room.

"Yes dear?"

"I just made plans, Me and Max are going to hang out until everyone wakes up."

"Okay, have fun." In the way she said okay I wanted to go in and see what she meant by it, but if I did I would make Max walk all the way up to the door to get me. So walked to the porch and sat down in my favorite porch chair.

About four minutes later there was Max. He had a gray cotton sweat shirt he had lent it to me before so I knew that it had fleece on the inside. His jeans were tattered and he had black vans on his feet. He had his hair gelled out so the tip of it stuck up. When he looked up as I bounced on each stair he ginned so big it was almost a smile. I could see the grin in his eyes like it was one of his emotions. I had my hair tied up in to a pony tail that I just flipped up to fold it in to a messy bun. My jeans were cut at the knees and ratty, but they were snug to me and my sweat shirt was big and comfy, it was fleece all the way through, read GAP and was a solid dark blue.

"What are you so happy about?" I asked suspiciously.

"Nothing, so where do you want to go? Is it to late to get in some patrolling or something?"

"Umm yeah, the sun will be up in like a few minuets. But we could walk around any way I mean the grave yard is just down the street if we make it before sunrise."

"Okay, let's start walking."

As we started walking Max didn't seem so, Max like. He was smiling and seemed to be walking at a dilly dally rate. I didn't know how to ask him what was on his mind. By the time we got to the grave yard the sun had just come up.

"Well that was a lost cause." I turned to him, and he was still smiling. "I have to ask you something and you have to answer me straight. Okay?"

He looked up unsure then said "Okay, shoot."

"Why are you so happy? Remember you promised to answer me." I looked up at him his smile was gone and replaced with the unsure frown again. When he noticed I was looking at him he smiled. His eyes wouldn't lie though. He didn't want to tell me. "Please, you promised."

He sighed then breathed "Well, I guess." He shook his head. "I really don't know. We should go get some coffee." He turned toward town and started walking away. I was stunned, he was avoiding the question. He promised to answer.

I picked my jaw up to the rest of my skull and became very cross. "Hey! You promised to answer." He stopped then but didn't turn around. "This is such bull! I'm going home and waiting for Dave to get up. God, your such an ass!" I turned and started to go home.

"Dru!" he stopped but I didn't "Wait, I'll tell you."

I stopped and half turned. "Really?"

Another sigh escaped his lips. "Yes."

As I was walking back and just reach ear shot were I didn't have to shot and said "Okay, go."

"On our way to the coffee."

I rolled my eyes "Okay, fine then. Let's go."

We started walking and I didn't take me long to realize that he was stalling. "Are you going to talk, or should I just go home?"

"No I'll talk. You're such a baby."

I shoved him. "Stop stalling and just get it out."

He laughed out "Okay, okay, okay I'll tell you. It's just, well I was day dreaming."

"About…?" my hands were out. I think they could have asked the question themselves.

He sighed, I hoped, for the last time "Well, I was day dreaming about," he looked very unsure. Then he started again after talking a _cleansing breath_ "I was day dreaming about you and me." His words poured out very fast after about. "I know, I know I thought I was over it but I mean I walked up and then," he let out a shameful breath. "And then there you were on my mind. It hit me then, that you and me were hanging out alone. It just made me happy. And I know we're not going to just start dating now, but I mean." He stopped and started shaking his head. "I'm sorry you don't want to hear this." I realized that I had stopped and my jaw was hanging from the rest of my head again. "Don't look like that Dru." He pleaded with me. "Just." He sighed out in frustration "See what you made me do!"

When he said that, I pulled myself together. Thinking about it I was shocked that about how I acted. At the time that I was supposed to have an open mind I was just closed minded as ever. "I'm sorry Max." I shook my head looking for an answer to how I acted on the ground. "I really didn't mean it like that. It's just…well I thought we had…I really didn't expect that." I was sort of lying to him. I half expected that. I really just figured that he would lie about it. "I'm sorry. Do you think you can live through coffee with me now after that _episode_ I just suffered?"

"I think you know the answer to that." I did. "The question that should be asked is 'Can you live through coffee with me?'" I realized that we had stopped walking. I didn't know for how long. Now I was avoiding the question myself. "I knew it, telling you was a mistake." He let out a breath of frustration.

I quickly realized my mistake. I had paused for to long. That was the only realization I feared, having coffee with someone who likes me. Especially someone I couldn't like back. "I'm sorry Max. I'll have coffee with you. Just I don't want to send you any mixed messages. I mean you're my friend and I don't want to screw it up because we hang out so much. I mean that's what made me and Kyle so," I couldn't think of a word, it didn't matter any way because Max cut me off.

"I get it. You can't screw anything up. But I don't want to lose you as a friend either. This is so hard, I mean were just so close and," he didn't finish and didn't need to. I understood and showed him with a nod.

"How about coffee on me?" I said it half to change the subject and half to apologize for what I made him say and how I reacted to it.

"Or on me?" he said with the same apologizing tone as mine had been.

"How about halfz's?" I asked. He grinned and nodded in agreement.

"Race ya!" he shouted and then he took off in a hurry.

Knowing that was the slayer I gave him a five second head start. Then I ran. With each step it was like I was washing away the now old troubles me and Max worried about. When I was finally even with him I shouted "Last one there's a rotten egg!" then I took the lead. Seeing as Duncan Doughnuts was the first place with coffee I saw I ran to the door and looked behind me to see Max just coming up. "Victory, my friend, as we know it, is mine!" he chuckled as he walked up to me for his last few steps.

Then he held the door open for me and bowed down, panting heavily. "Your Hines."

I suddenly remembered he had asthma and then I didn't worry he was fine I realized."Why thank you peasant." I said playing along. I stuck my nose high it the air as I walked into the glaze and frosting smell of Duncan Doughnuts. My right foot made it over the thresh hold and then I was shoved the rest of the way in. A complement followed.

"Ass." It was under his breath but loud enough.

"Takes one to know one." Was my response. Then we were stopped because of the line we ran into. And we sat there like two old friends would and talked about what we should get, because when in Duncan Doughnuts one must get a doughnut with coffee or for the kiddies hot chocolate.

At 10:35 when we finally looked down at the clock on my cell phone we had found ourselves in the town park sitting at a rain-rusted table. It was painted black and filled with wholes because of it curly-cue nature.

"I'll bet that Dave's up by now. If he's not, well I guess I just have to wake him up."

Max laughed at the statement. "feel free, I mean if he isn't awake its your head not mine."

I snorted "Do you really think he could get mad at his little sister?"

"Yes, yes I do. Especially, if his little sister wakes him up."

My eyes glared but my lips smiled, making it a challenge. "I don't agree." I flipped my open my phone and scrolled down to his number and pressed call.

"It's your head." He said his hands in the air, as if he was giving up.

"I'm the best there is, on ones taking my head. Especially a mortal." The phone rang "In fact any thing short of Satin himself killing me is a waste of my time." I would have said that I held my time very preciously, but Dave picked up.

"Hello?" At that greeting I had to have wakened him up.

"Dave, did I wake you up? You don't sound awake."

"Dru," He said my name like he just solved a mystery. "Yeah, you did wake me up."

"Sorry," I started but he cut me off.

"No, no, no it's okay. I should have gotten up any way I mean its 10:40. I'm hungry." He paused I chuckled in the moment. It seemed to through him off his train of thought. "What, I am." It was as if he was pleading with me to agree.

"Okay, so why don't you eat, Max and I will be there soon."

"You, and Max?" when he said Max it dragged. That was the only part of the statement that was a question. "Are you guys cool know?"

I refused to feel strange talking to my best friend. "Uh, yeah, I guess. We both got up early this morning." I suddenly had the strange feeling that I was trapped and the only way out was to explain myself. "I got on line, and then he got on. We started talking." I stopped, hoping he would continue, but the other side of the phone wanted me to hold the conversation. "And, so we decided to hang out. You know because were close friends and close friends hang out." Still he didn't talk. "Dave, are you there?"

"Yeah, it's just, well…uh…never mind. I'll tell you later."

"Well I'm going to hold you up on that."

"Fine, hey come over. I'll call Criss and Jack, Okay?"

"Yeah, only I don't think that Jack's up yet. We should give him until like 11:30, but yeah call Criss and we'll be there soon."

"All right then, bye."

"Bye." I snapped the phone shut and turned to Max. "So there, I woke him up and he's not mad."

Max rolled his eyes "I think he was awake already."

"Either way, he's not made at me, cuzz he's my big bro. and he loves me, as everyone else does."

"Well, I can't argue with that, but you know, being a guy and everything, not everyone loves you all that much."

"That's right." I turned to the direction of Dave's house.

After a ten minute walk we we're finally on Dave's street. I looked down the road, this sight before me was shocking. "Jack!" I yelled down the road hopefully in ear shot. He was awake!

"Dru!" he waved as I did.

When we finally reached him, in front of Dave's house, he held out a hacky sac, suggesting a game. I nodded and stepped back to prepare for the serve. Up in the air the knit ball glided gracefully to my ankle. I forced it back up into the air, spun and hit the sac with my opposite ankle like a baseball bat hitting a homer. Perfect! It sailed directly to his ankle he then popped it up to his knee hit it to his foot and flung it back over his shoulder. He made a rhythm of bouncing it back and forth, his heel to his ankle.

"Show off." Max snorted. Jack smirked and proceeded by kicking the hacky with the other foot. It sailed chest level to Max. Unfortunately, Max missed it. When we all were playing with skateboards, hacky sac's and yo-yo's, Max was forced in to little league baseball.

"Stop embarrassing him and come here." Dave ordered. Criss was standing behind him just stepping over the threshold she was waving.

"Hey Criss!" Jack shouted waving his arm like he was signaling a plane. Max and me waved too.

"Hey guys, how's it going?" We headed up the side walk to Dave and Criss.

"Well, Max and me have nothing and Jack just walked up."

"Nothing." Jack filled in.

"So how about you Criss?" I asked

"Umm…well nothing." We all laughed.

"Dave, I assume you have news?" he was the only one who didn't get asked.

"Nope, no new news, but I have to shower and stuff, so you guys can hang out inside or out." We all thought then some how agreed.

"Inside." We sang in chorus, we loved his mom and dad. They treated everyone like family. Dave rolled his eyes and turned with them. He mumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'Oh godly being save us all.' I snorted out a laugh.

When I walked into the door I called out, "Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Then I headed straight for the kitchen. There they were, sitting there at their counter that stuck out almost like an island would, sipping there coffee and eating muffins.

"Hello Dru." Mrs. Thomas said.

"Did you guys just get up?" I asked in awe.

"No," Mr. Thomas spoke "we just skipped breakfast this morning, now we're kind of hungry. Do you guys want some muffins?" Mr. Thomas made me almost feel bad for eating this morning.

"No, I'm good." I announced.

"I'll have one." Jack said, he grinned as he walked to the muffin that caught his eye. Criss took her seat at the table where there was a half eaten chocolate chip muffin.

"Me too." Max added. They both grabbed a small paper plate and a muffin. Then he took the seat next to Jack. I sat down next to Mrs. Thomas and across from Criss. I noticed her hot Chocolate.

"Hey mom, where's the coco?"

"We have singles in the mix drink can in the cupboard."

"Thanks." I got up and shuffled in my socks to the mugs. I pulled out mine. It had my name and picture on it. They gave it to me for Christmas one year. I went to the water tank and hit the hot. Once it was filled I put in the hot chocolate and stirred it. Then I put the spoon in the dish washer and returned to my seat.

When Dave was getting, ready we disused the weeks events. Most of the night activities were lies because of Dave's parents being in the room.

After about a half an hour of talking with the Thomas's, Dave finally came in.

"Are you guys ready?" Dave looked really eager to go.

I rolled my eyes and stood. "Let's go guys." I walked to Dave and everyone stood and followed. "Bye, mom, Bye, Dad." I called as I took another step toward the door.

"Bye, Dru!" they called in unison from the kitchen.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Chapter 7**_

The axe sparked as it hit against the sward. The stress built in me. I was having such a time with a simple mortal, human. Sadly those were my only adjectives. Suddenly I saw an opening. I smiled, my head low the strand of hair that didn't get tided up, in my bundle of hair at the back of my neck, hung down to the right of my nose. Gripping the axe I looked Jack in the eye, and then smiled deviously. With that he realized. He went to block but it was too late, I was already air born and coming down. The head of my axe faced away from him so I wouldn't cut into him. I made contact just were I planed, at the base of his neck.

"Ow!" he yelped.

"Sorry," I laughed. I was crouched above him. He was leaning back, hand over the butt of the sward, in the _crab-walk_ position. "But I got you." I got up from above him and put my hand out to help him up. "Good fight."

He rolled his eyes and he took my hand.

"Oh what is it Jack? You don't like getting beat by a girl?"

"No!" he insisted.

"Then what is it?" I folded my arms across my chest.

"I don't like to be beat by ANYbody."

I couldn't help but laugh out at that. I managed to breath out "Oh really?" I looked at the observation window of the fighting room, also the weaponry, where everyone stood laughing and smiling. "Can you guys believe this" my arms out looking for help.

"Not at, all." Dave said leaning toward the microphone. He smiled.

"Thank you." I nodded and looked back to Jack.

He shrugged his hands into his pockets, and rolled his eyes and let his head follow.

I sighed "Well, what time is it anyway" I turned my attention to the window and the people behind it.

"six o'clock." Criss smiled and nodded as she stood back up right. She always liked using technology; no matter it was a remote or an mp3.

I smiled and nodded then said as I picked back up my axe, "Well, lets go get those vampies then." I slung the axe over my shoulder. "Shall we?"

At the grave yard the night moved slow. I would have suggested going down town, if we hadn't already been there and the lake three times. We'd been to every grave yard in Canandaigua, but all we got was a few new-bees fresh out of the grave. It was now 10:17 and we had nothing.

I sighed in exhaustion and frustration. "Well, what do you guys think?"

"I don't know Dru, looks like no ones out tonight." Said Max, I sounded like he was apologizing for it.

"Well that fine with me." I said and leaned back on my elbows on the stone.

Suddenly something…I can't say what, changed. I had and amazing over whelming pressure filling my lungs. It was like breathing after being under water in a how-long-can-you-hold-your-breath contest. It felt great, but at the same time…terrible. I sat up and looked to my left, knowing something was coming from there.

I wasn't disappointed, what I saw was the most amazing of all things to see. The hottest thing since they took the war head fire balls off the market. Unfortunately enough for me, I couldn't have it. He was a vampire. He wore a leather trench coat, combat boots, black shorts with chains, and I tight black undershirt. His eyes were under lined in dark black, nails had black nail polish and his hair was black and spiked up the tips seemed to be on fire. And, he was pale. (Of course)

I never wanted something so bad before. So I stood and walked toward him. I hadn't noticed but our eyes had locked since the second I looked to the left. When we stopped we were one foot apart from each other. He stood about 6'2" I was 5'3".

"Hello." His sweet seductive voice cooed I wanted to be closer to him but controlled the urge.

"Hey." I returned. My confidence seemed to grow I don't know if it was his presence or a new me, but I was fantastic.

"Aries" he said and he extended his arm out to me. I would never forget the name and I would always pair it with that godly face.

I put my arm out too and met at his hand, and grinned "Aphrodite"

He rolled his eyes at my joke. His hand was cold. "Hilarious!"

"Dru," Dave warned noticing my interest. His voice seemed to be miles away.

"So its Dru then is it?" he pulled my attention back to him.

I grinned "yeah"

He took a step closer, still holding my hand, and then smelled the air around me. "You're the slayer."

Suddenly I remembered-not that I for got-I'm the slayer and he's the vampire. Our hands dropped.

I hung my head and looked at the ground. "I am the slayer, and now, I'm really sorry, but I'm going to have to kill you." It wasn't cool in any way, but it had to be said.

"Tacky," he lifted my chin with his two first fingers. "But I understand. If you do kill me, because they tell me you're the best, I assume you will, I'll forgive you.

I nodded and took a step back. "Well then, lets begin." I pulled out the stake from my pocket and let it spin into place in my hand. I crouched, grinned, and jumped.

An hour later we were still fighting. I was exhausted. I wouldn't let any one help me though. I was the best and I had to kill him.

"So how old are you anyway?" I asked as I launched him backward into a tomb stone.

"Well, I was turned when I was 20, and that was in 1892. So I guess I'm," he grunted as he pushed of the stone and balanced himself. "one hundred and thirty-five."

"Wow." I was astonished. Unfortunately enough for me he took that advantage to pin me to the ground. I tried to kip kick him off, but it was no use. He was too strong. I was too weak, well tiered. Truth be told, I really didn't want to kill him any way. Not that I had the chance, he was a good fighter.

"Dru!" everyone called in fear that I could die.

"Back off guys and go home! I told you I'm okay and totally fine I'll talk to you guys later! Any way you guys are worrying me because of you all being here. Please guys just go and I'll talk to you later. You guys know I could never lie to you. I'll catch up with you guys later, or you could wait at my house, but your parents have to be worried."

The truth was I did fear for my life. But I also knew that he wouldn't kill me.

"No way Dru." They sang in unison, the stupid bustards.

"You have to or they'll call my house and then that will lead to Dru being the slayer. So it's either trust me, or have me discovered."

"Fine! We'll go." Announced Max, "But after we are going to be right back here. We'll just do the spending the night thing, and bunk with you."

"Okay, fine by me. How does that sound to you Aires?" I looked up at him.

He was smiling down at me. "That sounds fantastic."

"Whatever." Max scuffed and he turned and left, leading the others.

Once I couldn't hear them anymore I turned my attention to him.

"Well I guess you figured out by now that I'm not going to kill you." He said still holding my down, just six inches from my face.

"Well that did cross my mind when I started a conversation." I grinned, I really enjoyed flirting with him.

"How about I cut you a deal?"

"A Deal, I thought you weren't going to kill me? So where's the deal come in?" I would have crossed my arms across my chest but they were busy being held down.

"Yeah, see I let you up if you let me go."

I tilted my head uninsured but I know the answer already. "Deal."

"Great." He tilted his head to see me the right way giving me a frowny-laugh face.

He sat up relieving my upper body and arms. I shoved him back the rest of the way, and sat up.

He sat up and rubbed his head were it hit a stone.

I rolled my eyes stood and brushed the dirt and grass off me.

"Alright, I'm not killing you tonight, so I guess, bye then."

"Bye? I think we should hang out. I'll have your back for the night slayer."

I grinned. "What is the vampire that had the chance to kill slayer afraid of the dark?"

"Not at all, but the slayer who is drained of energy should be."

"Well I would say okay, if my friends weren't going to be her in a few."

"Oh, so it's your friends?"

"That, and the fact that I just spent an hour of my time, fighting with an over aged vampire, who isn't dead."

"So I'll walk you to your house then."

I sighed in disbelief "your kidding right?"

"Not, at all."

I rolled my eyes and turned away toward home. "No." I called over my shoulder.

In a half a second he was at my side. "Oh come on slayer, its not like you have to merry me."

I sighed and stopped walking. "Why?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. Think of it as you scratch my back I scratch yours." He put out his arms and smiled seeing the weakness in my eyes.

"Cant let the slayer die this easy can I?"

I sighed exhausted from the fight and the argument. I really just wanted to sleep. "Fine, you can walk me home. You know this says a lot about your race."

He chuckled and turned too. "And what, does it say?"

I laughed, half asleep "You're all stubborn."

"How stereotypical of you."

"Well, maybe you should let me think that."

"Nope, I would never let me, go away so you don't stereotype."

"Well then I guess that's, that. We need a new topic my house is six more blocks."

"Ahh, Hum? Well I guess vampires and slayers don't get into many discussions."

"Yeah, well I never had anyway."

"Why is that, cant bare to know the victim you stake?"

"No I never get the chance. It's all business just the stake to the heart. I mean I should have had you staked in 5 minuets at the most from when our hands dropped."

"Oh, really? Well I'm guessing you killed a few vamp.s then?"

I scuffed out a laugh. "Well on a good night I kill a few. I thought you knew, I'm the best there is. I've lived the longest."

"And, to think, all that could have ended to night."

"Why would I send my friends away if you were going to kill me? Do you think I have a death wish?"

"Or maybe you couldn't let them see you die." he looked at me.

"No I've trained them with the same training I had. They certainly could have killed you." I returned his stare.

"What?" I demanded. We had stopped walking.

"Oh, nothing." He started walking again "Is this the way to your house?"

"Yeah, but what aren't you telling me, because I want to know." I followed him.

"I told you nothing."

"It's defiantly something."

"No, its not." He said it so simply that I couldn't believe it.

"Are you serious?"

"About what?"

I'd never felt so 15 before. "You're not going to tell me?"

"Tell you what?"

"Fine." I started walking the other way. I was 15 throwing a tantrum and proud.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously what?" I mocked.

"Okay, I get it."

"Get what?"

"You're so unbelievably, thirteen."

Thirteen…THIRTEEN! "You think I'm thirteen?" I asked I glued my feet to the ground I stood on, and I looked him dead in the face. I was defiantly thirteen.

"So I'm guessing you're older than that."

"Well, yeah."

"How much, older?"

"I don't know, what didn't you tell me earlier?"

He sighed. "You're thirteen."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"What could you have been thinking that was so incredibly bad that you couldn't tell me?"

"Okay, how about another deal?"

"Well, let's hear it."

"Okay, you, tell me how old you are. Then I tell you what I was thinking."

"Okay, but we have to shake on this first and no crossing fingers or anything like that. Oh and you cannot lie about what you were thinking and I wont lie about my age. Okay?" I put out my hand for a hand shake.

"Okay, sounds good to me." He put out his hand and we shook.

"Okay, so, I'm _fif_teen, and I do agree I was acting thirteen."

With a grin he started. Then he laughed a little. "Okay," he said with an outward breath. "Are you really sure you want to hear it?"

"Not really but I'm going to go with the 99.99 of me saying yeah."

He lifted an eye brow to me.

I still smiled at him.

He sighed. "Okay, here's the truth. When I was asking you about all that stuff, well, when I looked you in the face and, I saw something I never thought I'd see, in my life."

"What is there something wrong with me or something?"

"No, no, its just, well…I'm never going to be able to kill you, and you'll never be able to kill me. And there is a really good reason for that but I don't know it."

"Hum?" this wasn't actually a surprise to me, but then again, it was. I really didn't know what to make of it. "So what, you just look in someone's eyes and you can read them?"

"Yeah I guess." We started walking again in the right way.

"Hum? Well I really don't know what to make of it so, I guess we'll just carry on our merry way. I mean it's not like we have to really hang out forever."

"Yeah, but we will."

Confusion, I had no idea what that mean. I mean what we're going to get married or just run into each other a lot? "Umm… what does that exactly mean?"

"Well, you'll find out now wont you."

God I hate it when people-and vampires-do this. "You know what, what ever!"

"Alrighty then."

I really did hate him for this.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8**_

I couldn't believe it was only Tuesdays when I woke up. It was 4:00 am. I wanted to go back to sleep, but I couldn't. I was still tired from the big fight. But I got up and dressed and every thing anyway. Everyone was in different rooms so I didn't bother going to everyone and waking them up. They had to be tired anyway.

It was still really dark so I grabbed a stake and a really cool, and really sharp throwing boomerang thing. (One of my favorite weapons) Then I headed out for an early patrol.

I was really out there in hopes of seeing Aries again. So I went straight to the grave yard were we had met. Then I went to the spot where I first saw him and sat. I didn't want to go far from home so I just sat there and waited for something-hopefully Aries-to come along.

Nothing did I was soon lying on the tomb stone and hoping for sleep.

Of Course, right when my eyes shut around 4:45 something was there. I sighed and go up. "Okay, funny creature, just come out so I can kill you." I practically shouted it. How stupid someone could have heard me!

"How very confident of you slayer."

I turned to face the voice.

"I could have been a mortal." Fangs showing, it was a female. Strangely enough the females were better fighters then the males. And they were pretty rare. In fact I almost never saw a female vamp. This one looked old.

"And you just walk right up to me? You seem pretty confident yourself."

"Well, shall we dance? I haven't gotten a shot at the slayer in just about 100 years."

She was old. "Well, then let's see how good you are at this." I grabbed the stack and launched it at her from in my sleeve.

Her shoulder was hit in an attempt to dodge the stake. It did miss her heart though. I grabbed the boomerang from the stone and threw it. Her hand on the stake, to try and pull it out, let the boomerang hit, and off with her head!

"Too bad isn't it." Another voice.

I whipped around before I could grab my weapons to fight if needed. It was Aries. So I relaxed. "What did you know her?"

"A little bit I suppose. Every 50 years or so, we run into each other."

"Oh, well sorry," I walked over to the scene and picked up my weapons. "But all that's left is this clump of dirt or dust, whatever you want to call it."

"No it's all good I didn't really like her any way. I tried to kill her once, didn't go over so well."

I shrugged, "Then, consider it a favor."

"Thanks." He smiled and walked over. "So I thought you were going to bed?"

"Yeah, but I woke up and couldn't sleep, so I thought 'well hey, how about a patrol?'"

"Oh, well I guess you're allowed to do that. So I'm going to be out for until just before sunset so I'm going to hang here."

"Okay, fine with me." It was really, really, okay with me. "So I guess you were right because here we are again face to face and no one-but…umm…what's her name-is dead."

"Yeah, and you were right before you are a very good fighter. Every slayer that crossed her path has died. It's kind of her hobby."

My eyes bugged a little. "Oh, okay, well I guess I dodged a built there."

"Yeah, if that didn't kill her I was going to…" He might as well have slapped a hand over his mouth.

"Going to what?" I grinned

"Nothing."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh come on; just tell me, you already know how this will turn out."

"Okay, fine, I was going to help you, because I couldn't have you die."

"Why?"

"Because, I don't know, because, because…well I truly don't have a good answer for that."

"Well strangely enough I believe you."

"Good, you should."

"Well, for give me for not being the most trusting of people, but I normally kill vampires, I don't befriend them."

"Well, I'm not going to kill you either. I mean it's not like in two seconds I'm going to turn on you."

"Yeah, I know." That was my apology. (I know it sucks) "Hey, what time is it?"

"Umm…I don't know." He said it using and accusing voice.

"Well," I stared him dead in the face and offended. "I don't have a watch I was hoping you did."

He put and apologetic face on. "Sorry, I don't have a watch. Umm… do you have a cell phone?"

"It's okay, umm… yeah I do have a cell phone, I forgot about it." I smiled at him in a forgiving way.

He put on a crooked grin when he saw I forgave him.

"It's almost sunrise. How far is your house?"

"Why? When's sunrise?" he looked at me with concern.

"It's in twenty minuets." I frowned and practically squinted with fear of what he would answer with. The thought crossed my mind; if I had to I could sneak him into my house.

"My house is too far to make it."

"My house isn't."

"What are you saying?"

"I could get you in my house and you'll be safe until sunset."

"What? Don't you have your mansion of military? You know, like your watchers and stuff?"

"Yeah, but the military, as you call it, is actually two people and my friends, but we like to stay in the kitchen and the fighting room and the basement is normally clear I mean it's a wine cellar both my, watchers, as you call them have to work until after sunset so you'll be out before they even get home. So, what do you say?"

"What do I say, well I mean I don't have much of a chose do I? It's my life on the line here and I don't really have a death wish."

"Okay, let's go before someone wakes up, they'll know that I was gone and then be looking out for me. Especially Dave, he's like my big brother."

"The one with the Mohawk, the one looking at you with googiley eyes, or the one that has great taste in clothes?"

"Well, if I'm right-and I usually am- Jack is the one with the Mohawk, Max is the one with the googiley eyes, and Dave, is the one with great taste."

"Yeah, I could have guessed as much. Dave was looking at you with real concern. So either he's you family or in love with you. Jack was cheering with ever good hit you got. Max, wouldn't take his eyes of-and this may seem strange- me, he was really, really pissed off that I was touching you, and with every hit, he fell farther in love with you."

"Yeah, that sounds exactly like them."

"Yeah, but there was another one, he looked pretty rich like with the sweat shirt he was wearing."

I gave him a puzzled look; I really don't know who that could be. "The only other person I know that was there is Criss, and she's a girl, so…"

He cut me off. "No this was defiantly a guy. He was looking at you, maybe laughing or something, umm… his sweat shirt said…umm…" He stopped to think. Then he snapped as he said. "'Canandaigua braves football,' and it had a red foot ball on it. Umm…a grey sweat shirt."

I stopped walking, I hadn't realized I was walking in the first place, I felt sick.

"Dru?"

"Kyle." I don't believe that the words even made it to my lips. My knees buckled.

"Dru!"

I blacked out.

"Dru, Oh my god! Are you okay?" It was Aries, thank god!

"What the hell happened?"

"Oh thank god, you passed out for about three minuets, are you okay?"

"Yeah I feel a little like I just woke up and ran a mile but other than that I'm good."

"That's great, uh…can you walk?"

"Umm… I don't know you might have to help me." He helped me to my feet. I tried a few steps I didn't go over so well. My legs were like jell-o trying to hold up a five pound wait.

He grabbed me around my waist and walked me until I could do it myself. Thank god, about a block before we got there I could walk stably enough that no one would expect a thing.

"Okay, umm…let's go around back and then go through the cellar."

"Okay, no ones going to attack me if the find out I'm down there right?"

"Not that I know of, Beth and John won't find out, and if any of the kids find out, well I can't be sure. I'm pretty positive I can control them though."

"Well, I could be screwed."

The day took an extremely long time. Mostly because I knew I had a secret I had to get out to the house with out anyone knowing. If only I could have told someone then maybe I could have checked on him or stayed with him. Truth be told he was the most interesting thing to happen to me for awhile now. Dave was my best friend and I couldn't tell him about it, he hates vampires. I couldn't tell Criss because she doesn't trust vampires. Jack just likes to kill anything that's not considered a murder once you do it. And Max, well he probably hates him because I like him and kept him alive.

Thoughts of someone finding out because they decided to come in through the cellar and, or maybe hide down there because they wanted to scare someone. But nothing happened. No one found out. Around four the sun started to set and I made an excuse to slip away. I didn't even matter what I said because I couldn't remember when I was standing in front of the stares waiting to go down.

With each step panic grew over me, not sure what I would find. I never really took the time to read up on vamps. I only cared about there blood shed. Well, they didn't really bleed they just, dusted and dropped. But I didn't really know if he was sleeping like Dracula or if he was still up because he couldn't sleep like a Cullen. Or maybe he was gone because the sun was low enough and he knew it. I really didn't know, but I wanted to.

I put my hand on the door knob and walked through the thresh hold. "It's almost night time." I sang through the cellar.

There was no response.

"Aries?" maybe he was gone. "Aries are you here?" I walked around and looked.

There was still no response.

I walked to where there were some chairs and a couch we put down there when we got knew furniture. There he was, curled up on the couch, his coat draped over him. I silently walked over and as gently as I could place my hand on his shoulder. "Aries, wake up the sun is almost down." I called to him in the most motherly of voices I could produce.

He rolled over as well as he could on a couch. When he opened his eyes, he saw me and smiled. "Hey, mom," He put so much into the word. "Thanks for the wake up call."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you can't sleep forever." I got up and moved to the chair. "So do you have to wait for the sun to be totally down to go out or what?"

"Shouldn't the slayer know these things?" He asked trying to bother me about my inexperience.

"I don't really study about vampires, that's what the council and trainers are for. My job is to put the stack into the heart nice and snug so that it doesn't come back out until they're a pile of dust."

"Oh, I do believe that's in the job description. Yeah, connect the stack with the heart of the beast, oh yeah that's in there." He mocked at me.

I rolled my eyes. "So I don't really do my part on the knowing part, but maybe there's something to that. I mean if every other slayer was studying and fighting then that didn't work to well for them, but not studying is working out just peachy like for me."

"Well here's a little tip then, as long as we don't get too much direct sun light then we can go out when ever we want, but if your out during sun rise there's not much of a chance you make it out alright. That is why I'm here, because being out at the crack of dawn and noon will kill me, but other than that, I'm all good."

"So your good at dust?" I asked him even though he seemed a little annoyed. He had a lot of mood swings, he was possibly bipolar.

He laughed. "Yeah I'm good, but can I use your shower before I go?"

"Uh…yeah sure I think there's one around down here, some where. It was originally supposed to be a second apartment." I explained.

"Yeah, I saw it, so I'm going to use the shower, now."

"Oh yeah," I got up kind of uncomfortably and said. "So I'll leave you to that then." I left for upstairs.

Twenty minuets later I went back down to see if he was done, he was. I knocked before I went in. "Are you ready Aries?"

"Yeah," He called through the door.

I opened it and walked in. I found him in the bathroom trying to make his hair stand back up, even though he didn't have any gel. I would have offered if I hadn't run out of excuses to leave everyone.

"Okay, well your hair isn't going to stay up so you kind of have to go in a hurry, everyone is wondering why I keep leaving, and why I don't have any more excuses, and so you can stay here if you know how to get out."

"Yeah I know how to get out. Umm…I'll only be a few more minuets so I'll be gone before long you can go back up stairs and I guess I'll see you around sometime."

"Yeah, see you around, bye." I turned and walked and in my head I waited for it.

"Goodbye."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Chapter 9**_

I hadn't really seen Aries all that much. Every once in awhile I'd notice him walking somewhere, but I could never pull away from my friends to talk to him. February break was already over by about three weeks. Life seemed too got back to normal in school I was grabbed by Kyle and he was scolded by Max and Dave. Criss and Jack got up anyone's ass that I needed at the time. And Timmy and I continued to have your talks in English, with the most useless information I ever heard in my life. That was a span of fifteen years and a few uncounted months. I didn't really care. It was because my mind didn't veer much from Aries. I had dreams about him, I saw him in school, most of the time I wished it was him with his arms around me and not Kyle-not that I like it in the first place.

There was something in my mind that connected Kyle and Aries, I couldn't place it. They didn't act like each other, or dress even slightly like each other. For some reason I just put them together in my mind. I knew I had the answer it just wouldn't show in my mind.

It started to bother my so much that I had to find out. If I didn't I was sure that I'd go insane, but I couldn't trust Kyle, so it was Aries who I'd have to ask. I needed an excuse to get away from my friends and get to Aries. How, I had no clue. When, I knew that one, the moment that I saw him.

I didn't have to wait long. With in two days of when I made the plan I was out and I saw him, Aries. No one else did, no one else knew that he was even alive, well, undead. I threw the last stake to the last vamp then I turned and ran in Aries general direction. I'd hope that they wouldn't follow me so that I could have enough time to get to Aries and tell him were to meet me.

Thank god, I found him. "Aries," I called after him in a hushed tone.

He heard me and turned to face me. "Dru?" he looked puzzled. I stopped by running into him. Then he caught me at the elbows.

My fore arms pushed against his chest and my hands clutched his shoulders, but I sure as hell stopped. "I don't think you know how glad I am that I caught you." I said as I stood up right.

"Actually, I think I caught you." he pushed me out to arms length to get a look at me. His eyes rested at my face with a smile.

"I don't have a lot of time; I need you to go to my cellar for the day because I have to talk with you."

"What?" he was so confused I fell a little more for him.

"Just meet me there I don't have time to explain, my friends will be here in any minuet."

"Umm…okay, I'll be there." He smiled then let go of my arms. "Okay, you have to go I can smell them coming." He turned me around.

I reluctantly ran back to were I came from stake in hand. "I got it." I said as I came face to face with Dave.

He smiled and congratulated me.

I looked at my watch as it ticked to 11:45. "Guys we'd better call it a night, its fifteen minuets of. Seeing as tomorrow is Saturday, I'd like to sleep in for most the day, I'm really tired from the week, it's had a lot of events."

"Okay Dru, that sounds good." Criss said with the biggest smile on her face.

We all walked off in different directions.

I approached the gate to the direction were my house was. Then Aries was at my side, I smiled and almost reached for his hand, and then I caught myself and continued just being next to him. I didn't want to be the one to start the conversation.

"So are you going to ignore me all the way to your house then?"

I grinned. "Maybe," I loved to flirt, with Aries.

"Okay then, just wanted to make it clear."

"Well, you haven't made any kind of effort to talk to me in the past few weeks. I mean it's not like you never see me."

"So is pay back your game?"

"No. sorry it's just; well you've seen all the baddy's around."

"Yeah, I get it." He said understandingly.

With every word he spoke I fell a little more for him. I saw not one imperfection in him. It seemed pretty impossible, then I though; I'm the slayer. Then a happy boat that was sailing along and would soon hit that really horrible iceberg.

I frowned, I think I actually really did, because he stopped me and bent to eye level, looked right in my eye, then asked. "What's the matter?"

"Hum?" I asked like I didn't know anything in the world.

He gave me a, do you expect me to believe that, face.

"It's not thing." It tried to brush it off.

"It made you frown, it's not nothing." He pushed.

I knew that I couldn't keep it a secret from him for much longer so I'd have to change the subject or tell him. Then luckily for me, a stake flew by my ear. I knew enough to push Aries out of the way. Then I look for the offender. I didn't see anyone. "Aries, do you know where this," I struggled for a word. "How about 'bad guy,' is?"

He looked at me like I was bizarre for my choice of words. "No, I don't smell the, 'bad guys.'" He grinned.

I sighed out of frustration, but couldn't help but laugh at the second thought of it.

I loosened up a little bit, and then I connected with my surroundings-I know it sounds very earthy for the slayer, but its one of those things I can do. In the silence I reached the things around me, the nature. Strangely enough nature has way too much to say. It's like the little sibling that wants to rat out anything no matter what the question is. Unfortunately I had to listen to all of It, every last bit, _if_ I wanted a good answer. It was like looking through someone else's eyes. As soon as I saw something a little bit interesting to me, I ran with it.

The person, who ever it was, was hunting Aries. He was crouched behind a bush, and slowly waddling toward Aries.-Also being the slayer enables me to kill humans, one of the very strict rules. If I ever did and they caught me, I would be hunted by the counsel.-but I couldn't tell if this was a human or vamp or even some other demon. But I was sure as hell going to find out.

I signaled Aries to come over to me.

He came over.

I made sure he stayed low. "Aries, if we don't get out of here really fast, some guy is going to attack you. He's behind a bush but I don't know if he's vamp or human, so I can't kill him, or stop him."

"How fast can you run?" he asked I saw a plan brewing in his head.

"Not as fast as you can." I assured him and myself.

"Okay then, I have a plan." He scooped me up and we were gone.

I could through this fast, but run it even in a full on sprint would be only a dream.

We stopped a house before mine. Then we walked to my back yard, where the cellar door was. He grabbed the door and let me walk in first.

When I got in I when straight for the couch and plopped down, then began to laugh.

He came over to the seat next to me and laughed a little bit too.

I was so exhausted that I rested my head on his shoulder. After I realized what I did, I remembered that he didn't jump or anything after it happened. So I left my head there.

Before long I was being shaken awake. "Dru, Dru, wake up, you have to go upstairs."

My eyes were opening to the nicest site, Aries face. I sighed anyway though. "I can't."

He looked confused. "Why can't you?"

I smiled, "Well someone's hunting you, and I can't let you die, remember."

"Well okay then, but wont someone worry when you don't walk in the front door and say-'Hello, everyone I'm home and not lying on the ground dead somewhere.'"

I rolled my eyes. "Well if I do that then how will I get back down here?"

"Umm…well then, I don't know. I guess you have to live with the risk, and the worry."

"I really don't like that plan."

"Well, I'm not too happy with it either, but I'm pretty sure I'll be fine. I mean there's not much of a choice here."

I sighed, looking for another way. "What time is it?"

"We've been over this; do you have your cell phone?"

I frowned as I shifted so I could pull my cell phone out of my pocket. "It's…12:55, so this means that I can go up stairs and catch them just before they go to bed. I'll tell them I'm going to eat before I go to bed and I'll be back here in about a half an hour, no questions asked."

"Yeah, except you're not in your bed in the morning."

"I thought of that too, I just write a note telling them that I got up early and I'm hanging out with Dave, I turn on my cell phone and the lies continue."

He looked at me like, 'This will never work.'

I shook my head. "No, I've done this before. I'm excellent at keeping lies."

He sighed out. "Well, go then."

I smiled, stood up and ran, "I'll be back in 30 minuets, clock me."

The plane went extremely well. After I finished the note it was 1:35, not exactly a half an hour but close enough. I ran down to the basement. When I got there I walked over to where he was sitting before, now he was reclined back in the old lazy boy.

I smiled. "You know we do have blankets and stuff in the bins down here." I looked at him he was still rapped in his coat again.

"You do, well then I would like one."

"There in the bin label Bedding." I pointed at the bins in the corner, and popped down on the couch.

He ginned signaling a challenge. "Well, I'm just a guest here."

"Yeah, but I'd like you to make yourself at home."

"Well I mean I don't want to impose upon you."

At that I knew that I had lost. I'd fight back until the final blow anyway. "I just told you to make yourself at home."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't feel at home digging through someone's stuff." The final blow.

I sighed angry that defeat had come so soon, and annoyed that I didn't have anything else to say. "Okay, but you get a pink blanket, and pillow." I grinned, I hadn't totally lost.

"Fine, I like pink, it's my color, don't you think?" I could hear the grin in his voice.

"Oh yeah, totally brings out your eyes."

"So you know what matches to my eyes do you?" the grin was still in his voice.

"Yeah, because you know I'm so in love with you I've designed the perfect out fit for you." Sarcasm dripped off my words. "I used colors like pink and neon orange. It's in the sketch book I have with only pictures of you in it." I turned around with my head cocked to the side, my eyes crossed and a drunken smile on.

He looked at me then cracked up. "Oh my god, you had to have practiced that or something."

"No, actually it just came to me." I tossed him a blanket and pillow, then I took my seat on the couch. I tossed the blanket over my legs, and slammed my pillow on the arm of the couch.

"So what, you just wanted to have a sleep over, is that why you ran at me in such a panic that I had to catch you?"

Then I remember Kyle, how they connected in my mind, or how Kyle reminded me of Aries. In fact the whole time I was talking to Aries Kyle hadn't come close to my mind until he brought me back to the subject. "Oh, umm… well I would ask this kid I know, but I couldn't trust him to give me a straight answer."

He nodded, for me to continue.

"Well, this kid Kyle, when ever I see him, I for some reason have a picture of you flash up in my head," Oh yeah, and every time I close my eyes. "Do you have any reason as to why that is?"

His eyebrows frowned, he defiantly knew something. "Kyle, did you say?"

"Yeah, he's this freak of a kid who, well, doesn't let go of me. Like in school he walks up behind me and like grabs me, or like says stupid pick up lines, I really could kill the kid." I nodded assuring him of my seriousness on the subject.

He sighed and rubbed his forehead, his eyes were closed.

"What do you know?" I grew very concerned; it had to be pretty bad.

He dropped his hand to his lap. "Yeah, umm…do you remember when you passed out before?"

I nodded recalling the incident.

"Yeah, okay so, ahh…" he rubbed the side of his face on his eyebrow. "Well," he shut his eyes like he never blinked in his life time. He pinched over his eyes to his naval cavity. Then he opened them, as he pulled his hand down to his stomach. "Okay, so, you said his name right before that happened."

"Well, why, I mean that doesn't make any scene at all."

"Well, you realized that he was umm… watching us fight in the grave yard the night we met."

My eyes might as well have flown out of my head. I shot up from my comfortable lying position. "He was what!" I suddenly remembered the feeling from when I thought that Amy knew.

Aries was at my side in a second; he put his arm around my shoulder and pulled me into the nook in between his form arm and body. I felt the blood leave my body, but Aries gave me another squeeze and it all came back.

"It's okay, everything will be fine, believe me, I promise, nothing will happen to you." Though the words weren't for sure, it still comforted me.

I slept in his arms that night.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Chapter 10**_

When I woke up my face was pressed against his chest. I remembered last night, After I awoke from shock, broke down some more and cried until my eyes hurt. Aries was still sleeping; his t-shirt was blue, with black tear marks.

I looked up at his face and smiled; his mouth was closed in a smile, now almost level with my forehead. Then as I was looking at him I felt the cold of his arms and a wave of nauseating sadness came over me. I was the slayer and he was a vampire, though I couldn't kill him, (for whatever reason) I couldn't be anything more than, the thought killed me a little, Friends. Anything more was a fantasy and would have to stay that way.

The really sad thing about it is that he's probably even good for me, but I was the slayer. I was fifteen and he was (well pretty much) twenty. He would protect me from anything that threatened me, or made me cry. There's was just so many pros and cons, I didn't know what to do, but being in his arms made the pros clearly the right answer.

A few hours later I had still been drifting in and out of sleep. I didn't want to get up so that I didn't disturb his sleep. But then, of course, my cell phone rang. (Damn)

I shifted to dig my cell phone out of my pocket. When I finally got it out, it had already stopped ringing. I looked under resent calls and found: _Dave_, as the last call.

I sighed because I'd have to call him back. That meant a taking the risk of waking up the peacefully sleeping vampire to my right. Sadly I got up, slowly and cautiously though.

When I was finally free from my happy prison, I walked to a different part of the basement to call Dave.

When it finally rang, I wondered what time it was, but I was sure that Dave would answer that.

"Hey Dru, are you awake yet?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes, I hoped it would show up in my voice. "No."

"Well its 1:45," Do I know him or what? "You've got to get up."

"Why, I told you that I wanted to sleep in."

He laughed. "Don't you think it's a little over kill?"

"No." I scuffed.

"Well, so now that you're up what do you want to do today?"

I pulled out my favorites of lies I had made up. (For when he asked me this) "Actually, I wanted to take it easy to day and read."

"What." He seamed offended.

"Sorry," that was another lie. "It's just I haven't read anything in awhile, I like to take advantage of the daylight. You know when I don't have to work a job." The truth was I would never have to work a day in my life as long as I was the slayer. Another thing the counsel took care of. I would never have a house with out at least two bathrooms.

I just barely heard him sigh over the phone.

"Oh please." I begged. I really didn't want to go through this. "What do you want to come over and watch me read?"

He sighed. I really hoped for the last time, it was really getting to me. I almost laughed; he was my own best friend and driving me insane. He spoke. "You really don't want to talk or anything?"

I did, especially to him, but I lied. "Nope." I was going to end it like that but I thought about it and it just sounded so cold. "I'm good on talking right now, but if I find myself craving the urge to talk, you'll be my first call."

"Alright then, I guess, umm…bye."

"Bye, Dave."

When I hung up the phone I got this feeling that I would get caught. So I closed my eyes so tight that I saw dark purple and blue shapes in front of my eyes. Somehow this assured me that I was 'safe.'

When I gained back my confidence I walked back to where I left Aries sleeping.

He was no longer sleeping. He was sitting up and looking down at his shirt I had accidentally ruined with the watery eyeliner.

"Sorry," I said as I entered the room. I took a seat on the arm of the lazy boy across from him.

He looked up almost startled. Then brushed down his shirt like he could clean it and everything would be better. "Don't worry about it. It's just a bunch of cotton."

I frowned, how could he be so good? How could he be so off limits? How long could I sit here before I explode? I let a frustrating breath out. "Don't be nice, you like that shirt and I totally ruined it on you."

He sighed. "Must you?"

"Must I, what?"

"Must you make me say it first? Are you blind to the idea that's been screaming in the air in between us ever since we first met?"

I looked down to my lap; I wasn't sure what I would do when I looked up. I ended up choosing a simile. "I did notice, I wanted to say something but I couldn't."

"Well, it is the elephant in the room, and I don't know how much longer I can't take being here until we know what's happening here." he looked up like he was guilty and did something almost terrible.

I sighed and put on my forgiving simile. "Yeah, but how can it work? I mean slayer," I gestured to my self. "Vampire," my gesture switched to him. "It can't work out that well, you know, what I mean?"

"Yeah, but where does this leave us, I mean friends, enemies, hey how are you acquaintances?"

"Well, we've got to figure it out, and we're stuck here all day and we're going to see each other all the time, its not like we can avoid each other."

He let a sigh out. "Well, I just spent the night watching you sleep in my arms, I don't know if friends will be easy enough, if that helps anything in this."

"Not really, I spent the night in your arms; I don't think I can be anything short of friends."

He laughed, I followed the action. I put my elbow on my knee and my hand slapped over my eyes and the bridge of my nose. My hand whipped down to my mouth. "What should we do then?" he brook into the happy moment.

I stood. "I don't know." And I began to walk away. I reached the door way and leaned on the arch. "What can we do?"

He stood and came behind me. "I don't know," his hand lied on my shoulder; I turned to it and face him. I was inches from his face and it happened, he kissed me. I kissed back, my heart almost jumped out of my chest. It was wrong, everything about it was, but my arms went around the back of his neck anyway.

Against my better judgment the kiss ended. I looked him in the eye, an inch form his face, and then I picked my hand up and pressed on his chest to separate us. I didn't know what would happened if I was as close as I was for another second, but I didn't know if I could handle what would happen. If I had to separate from the second kiss, it would hurt me, pierce my heart and cut me from the inside out, I couldn't.

Our eyes were still locked, the same way they always did, and I looked at his face, it was so, so cold, so unloved. "I'm sorry," I put an end to the negative space. I fell forward and grabbed him my ear rested on his chest. I felt like I was desperate to find a heart beat, tears filled my eyes again I was so confused.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Chapter 11**_

I woke up to the phone in my pocket vibrating. I was on the basement couch again and Aries was there. Not holding me like before, I was under a blanket, and he was on the lazy boy next to me. I grabbed the cell phone out of my pocket and answered with out looking at it.

"Hello?" I answered.

"Dru, its Max."

"Max, hey what's up?"

"Well are we going out tonight or what?"

I rolled my eyes as if it would wake me up more. "What time is it?" I complained.

"Its 7:45 we're all trying to decided if we should go to your house or not. Were on Cheapen."

"Don't bother, I've been sleeping and reading all day, so I'll get dressed and meet you for the back allies on main in front of the Dairy Queen, we'll head down toward the lake, okay?"

"Yeah, sounds great, we'll just get a few stakes at Jacks."

"Okay, see you soon." I promised.

The phone snapped shut and Aires eyes opened as if on queue. "Time to get up?" he questioned.

"Time to get up." I nodded.

He pushed the blanket off himself and got up to get a quick stretch in. Then he came over to me "So," he sighed, "What exactly are we?"

I really could have gone my whole life with out that question. "I don't know. What do you think?"

"Well, personally I'm getting a yes vibe coming to me." He bit the corner of his lip bracing himself for the answer. He shoved his hands in his pockets to his thumbs, and leaned back. Then took a deep breath in, letting in out heavily. "So, what do you think?"

Knowing that the answer lay in my hands wasn't that good. I didn't like the thought of it. I knew that he was a vampire that it couldn't go on forever. I couldn't lie forever. Even so, I still wanted it. The truth was I was going to say yes if he asked me to marry him and I barely even knew him. Just I flat out vibe that I got from him, it just said, yeah. No farther than that just flat out, yeah.

I took in as much air as possible, and then I let half of it out. The rest was used to answer. "Yeah," I closed my eyes and the side of me that had sense init wanted to slap me in the face so I gave it a second to speak up. Then I opened my eyes. "Yeah, we're defiantly together, I mean there's really no other realistic answer. I can actually think of millions of them, but I don't know, they just don't seem to bother me that much and, and, well…"

I was cut off. My new favorite smell filled my nostrils. The most excellent of lips were on mine. The strongest arms holding me close to the godliest shaped body I have ever been pressed against.

I almost dropped and fell to the ground. If I had lost control of my muscles like that, it wouldn't have mattered, Aires was supporting my weight. My arms went for the back of his neck again.

When he realized that this happened, and that I wasn't going to talk anymore he pulled away. He still held me, I was happy for it. "So, I think you have to get ready to patrol."

I remembered and my lips pressed in a line, my eyes rolled away, I wanted an excuse to skip, but had none. "Well, seeing that I don't have any good excuses not to, yeah, I have to go."

He kissed the end of my nose. "Well, you don't have any hair gel so, I have to leave so I don't look like crap when I see you later."

I rolled my eyes "Well, okay, so I guess you have to go then." I grinned. "You just love the way you look don't you."

He grinned. "You do too so, I think I'll continue caring."

I smiled. "Okay, you can if you want."

"So I guess that we're a secret slayer, vampire couple now."

"Yeah, I don't think that anyone would like to hear this, especially Beth and John."

He smiled again. Then he bent down and gave me a soft, too-long-to-be-a-peck, kiss on the lips.

I would have, if I didn't have to really leave held the kiss for longer. But I did have to leave, so I left it at that. "Bye."

"Bye, Dru." He walked away and held contact with my hand until it was impossible.

"Be careful." I warned remembering that he was being hunted. "If you die, I'll be really pissed."

He laughed. Then he was out of sight. I went to my room and get ready.

Around 8:30 when I was finally ready. I headed down stairs the empty sound to my feet on the stairs echoed through the house. I felt alone suddenly, John and Beth had gone out I guessed. I grabbed some weapons and headed out.

I paced down the road, strangely enough being out side made me fell more alone. The feeling practically smothered me. Thoughts of Kyle entered my mind and alone seemed to come more strongly. Being with Aires seemed to take everyone else out of the world, along with the worried thoughts that clutter my mind.

I didn't want to be alone. I could fend off anything or one that came my way, but I tried to walk faster anyway. I was about half way there, and practically running, when someone stuck there arm out and grabbed me. I almost screamed.

"Calm down, it's me." Aires!

I was so excited and embarrassed that I just broke out into laughter. When I finally caught my breath I looked up at him. "Sorry," I started. But for the second time I was stopped by a kiss, but it was okay.

The contact was lost again. "Why were you almost running?"

"I don't know, I didn't like being alone."

He grinned. "Well that's a bit odd for the slayer don't you think?"

I gave him what I like to call the friendly shove. "No. Not for me."

"Well, you are the only one I've ever seen that brings all her friends around. Well, actually that's not true, there's Buffy too."

I looked at him applauded. "Don't compare me to a television show, especially that one."

"So I can say you defiantly don't like that show?" he ginned, he knew the dangerous territory he entered and wasn't scared, which really pissed me off. "Cuzz, I was going to invite you to a Buffy marathon."

I rolled my eyes pushed away from him and walked. The only reason I did that is because I was positive that he would follow.

He sighed, and then I heard his foot steps. "Dru, wait."

I stopped and did a half turned in his direction.

He grabbed me and turned me to face him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to piss you off that much." He made an innocent smile.

"But, you did mean to piss me off didn't you." I looked at him with an annoyed look.

He sighed once more. "Yeah I did, but I didn't want to make you really mad at me, I just wanted to irk you a little bit."

I snorted a laugh and rolled my eyes. "Fine, I forgive you. I guess" I said the last part under my breath then pressed my lips together, and folded my arms, and then began to walk again.

"I guess?" he asked astonished.

"Did I stutter?" I questioned my arms out as I walked. Then I folded them again, keeping my pace.

He laughed at my impossibility. "Oh," he said it as if he solved a great mystery. "I get it." In two seconds he was in front of me.

I stopped.

He reached his hands out and cupped my cheeks, and then leaned in and gave me an, I'm-really-sorry kiss. When we lost contact I smiled smugly. I had forgiven him; I really had, well, now. I know it was petty, but that's what it took, and he did it, so I forgave him. So I walked holding his hands until a block from the Dairy Queen.

I said good bye even though I figured he would be close enough, unless he was hunting. Did he hunt humans? Does he eat ever day? I would have asked but he was out of sight and way too far to catch.

Before five minuets were up from when Aires left me, my friends were in sight.

"Hey, guys!" I called to them.

"Dru," they cheered back.

I smiled and jogged the rest of the way to them. "So, how goes it?" I asked when I finally reached them.

"It goes well." Jack returned bobbing his head.

"Same here," Criss gave her two cents.

"Ditto," Dave and Max sang in unison.

I grinned I was with my friends again, even though it would have been perfect to have Aires hand in mine as well, I took what I got.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Chapter 12**_

The dust of one vamp blew up in my face as the one behind me pushed me forward. This was getting old really fast. I whipped around just in time for another burst of dust to explode in my face. I wiped the dust out of my eyes to see who put it there. It was the hansom grin of Aires, of course. I really should stop getting surprised by the way he just shows up places.

I rolled my eyes and put my arms out for him to grab.

He pulled me into a hug. "Why, hello" he said it like he just found the key to unlock a treasure chest.

I grinned, "Hey, what the hell are you doing here?"

"Umm…making a lunch visit," he pulled that one out of his ass.

I huffed out a laugh. "Do you think that's the smartest of things to do?" I crossed my arms and stepped back.

He pulled my arms out of the knot and back around him, "It's definitely worth the risk." and then leaned down for the kiss.

I grinned, and then looked him in the eyes. "There going to be back soon." It was practically a whisper. "You should go, or Max and Dave will stake you."

He sighed. "I'll be out of sight but, I will be watching you."

"There's no need, I mean don't you need to eat?"

"That's already been taken care of."

"If you don't mind, how was, that taken care of?"

He blew a sigh through his lips. "Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah, I do." My arms were on his biceps and his were around my waist.

"Well, I go to the blood bank."

"And what, they're just like 'Here you go have some blood to drink?'"

He laughed at my interpretation. "No, if I go at a certain time, there's a vamp on the clock. He gives the blood under the counter."

"Oh, well, I guess as long as you're not killing people I'm okay with that." I held on just thinking for a minuet.

"Well I'm glad that you feel that way, umm but I think I hear your friends coming."

"Okay, bye." I sighed.

"Bye." He laughed, kissed me good bye, and was gone.

I hated the way this had to be. I could already see problems coming ahead. Out of all the books and movies I have seen, this will never work.

I turned around looking for any more vamps so I wouldn't be suspicious for when everyone came around.

"Dru," Jack breathed out. He was exhausted from killing and running. "Did you see anymore?"

I shook my head. "No, two ran over here and I got them both. But I didn't see anymore." Actually I saw one more but, you don't have to know about that.

"Okay," he seemed to relax. "Well then, lets keep heading toward the lake." He turned and put out his arm, gesturing me to go ahead.

Finally we made it to the lake. It was three minuets of Sunday, and I was ready to kill a few more vamps and go home to talk to Aires for awhile. Or maybe I would check out his house for a few. I don't know but all I needed was one more vamp, or monster and I was on my way to home.

"So guys, what have you been up to today?" I asked as I plopped down on the green, cold, swing bench.

"Umm…we went to the mall and we walked around town. We got hot dogs and ice cream." Criss wasn't really good at this she was really trying to come up with stuff.

"Okay, is that all?" I asked a little concerned.

"Yeah," she looked at me like there was something wrong with the concern in my voice. "Why, what would you have expected?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I guess I would have suspected you to do a bunch of insane stuff that we normally do." I shrugged.

"Yeah, but, well, I don't know Dru." Jack was complaining almost.

"What is it?" I bugged.

"I don't know that's a, you and us thing. We don't go jumping around and stuff with anyone else. We also don't kill things with anyone else." He laughed.

"Well, I would think that's a little bit weird if you were going around killing all the time."

"Yeah, not only are we part of the slayers killing band, we're also assassins." Jack laughed out.

Then Criss hit him. "Jack, you're not supposed to tell!" She insisted.

I laughed really hard and then everyone followed the action. I think I laughed a little too hard but it got everyone else in the happy moment. And it would be the last for the night; I just spotted our last victim. I didn't want to leave for the sake of catching up on lost time. Then again I really wanted to go for sake of my amazing and extremely unreal new boyfriend. I was definitely leaving.

"Guys, I have our last victim in sight." I business walked over toward the last kill.

Five minuet fight and he was gone.

I turned to my faithful friends. "So guys, what do you say we call it a night?"  
"I for one am game." Dave volunteered.

"Me too." Criss added.

"What do you guys want to stay awake and kill by yourselves?" I asked looking at Max and Jack.

"No, I think I'll be on my way too." Max stepped next to Criss and Dave.

"Jack?" I asked.

"Umm…" he looked at me with suspicion. "I'll catch up with you guys later."

Damn, he knew I wouldn't let him be here alone. "Alright guys get started he'll be along before soon."

"Alright, then lets go." Dave turned and the crowd followed, Criss by his side.

When they were on there way I sighed and turned to Jack. "So, what is it that you need me for?"

He rolled his eyes. "Why do you assume that I needed you and I didn't just want to be alone?"

I looked at him in a, come on, stair on my face.

There was no response.

"Fine, I'll just leave you alone then." I turned to walk down the lake.

"Wait, I lied and you caught me."

"Yeah I know." I smiled and turned around. I walked until I was with in a yard of him. "So, what is it?"

"Nothing really, I just really don't want to go home. The slayer seems like a nifty thing to have when you're alone at night and not in your house." He shrugged.

"Now, I'm confused, I thought you wanted to tell me something, but you really just wanted my protection?" I was going to kick his ass if that was right.

"Yeah, actually." He put on a sorry face. "Plus, we never hang out together anyway; this will give us a chance to."

I was pissed. All I wanted to do was go, and walk around with my boyfriend. "Okay, umm…why don't you want to go home, and if you lie to me, you will not have children unless you adopt."

His eyes widened at the thought. "Okay, okay, just keep your feet planted and I'll tell you."

"Okay," I folded my arms over my chest. "Go."

He took in a deep breath. "Well, my parents are in one of there drinking things again. I just can't be around them like this; I can't even have respect for them when they're like this. So I just want to stay out as long as possible. They're just so stupid; I don't even want to have relation to them because of it."

This had happened before with Jack's parents. They were, well, are alcoholics. They had gotten help every now and then, but they just couldn't stop drinking. Sober they were the greatest couple ever, but drinking they wouldn't stop yelling, screaming, and throwing things at each other. I was at Jacks house at the wrong time one day. "I'm sorry Jack, but wont they be passed out by now?"

"I don't know, I'd rather wait though."

He was looking for my comfort and I was selfishly thinking about Aires and how I would miss him. I sighed. "Okay Jack, but wouldn't you rather talk to Max and Dave. They seem to get you better."

He looked at me. "Yeah, but I mean, you're the like leader of the group and from what I hear, you give good psychological advice." He wasn't leaving.

"Okay," I looked for the answer in my head, it had to be there. "You have to get them during a hang over and tell them the need real help. You might want to take dumping all the alcohol out into consideration too. You wouldn't want them drinking and getting pissed at you. Is that the kind of advice you wanted?"

He looked up at me and smiled. "Yeah, thanks Dru, I'll go and do that. Do you want to walk me home?"

I laughed. "Sure thing pal." I stood, it was a twenty minuet walk to his house and I wanted to try for ten. "Let's go."

"Bye Jack, I'll catch up with you later." I said as I turned away.

"Okay, bye Dru." The door shut and I hauled ass down the street. When I was at the corner and out of sight of any of my friends I slowed down.

I strolled all the way to the end of the next block, and there was Aires.

"You fought your ass off today, and then you counseled your friend. That's pretty impressive."

"Yeah, I'm what happens, when miracles make children. Like some kind of mega miracle." I smiled and reached up for a kiss.

. "I totally agree with that." Our fingers laced and we walked to the lake.

When we got there we sat under a willow tree and on the rocks surrounding the lake and watched the water. The solitude was amazing, indescribable. Probably because the solitude that overcame me wasn't complete. My head was leaning against Aires cold, hard chest.

"Where do you live?" I tilted my head up for the answer.

"Where do I live?" he asked and his head tiled to face mine. He was puzzled at the question.

"Yeah, you obviously live father than my house from the grave yard where we met."

"Yeah, I do, I live down Douglas Street."

"Oh, well where?" I repositioned my head for comfort.

"Umm close to the end of the road, yeah I know it's really long road."

"Yeah," I drifted back into the lake then I wanted to go somewhere, right then I felt trapped suffocated I had to go and there's never anytime like the present. I just had to go. And what do you know; his place was the first to come to my mind. I sat up. "We should go to your place,"

"Why, I thought that we're happy here?" he was confused and not used to the sudden change of pace I get. It doesn't come about that often though so that's why.

"I really don't know I just want to go."

He looked unhappy with my answer. "You just got the sudden urge to go to my house?"

I crinkled my nose realizing my complete weirdness. I turned around to face him front to front. "Yeah, I know what you're thinking; 'What the hell, we're here in this really romantic spot and she just wants to up and leave to my house?' And yeah, I do, because I just have the need to go. I really don't know I just have to move, and well, I've seen this spot already, but, I haven't seen your house, so, what do you say we migrate over there?" I was starting to freak myself out a little bit. "Oh, god I sound like a mental patient, don't I?" I complained.

"Well, the straight truth of the fact is, yeah. But I do understand what you're saying, so," he stood up. "Let's go see my place." He put out his hand for mine.

I reached up. "Thanks for understanding me." I further thanked him with a kiss.

"Well, that's no problem, you could tell me another of your problems and I'll understand again. You see I'm a quick learner."

I grinned, "So, you have figured out that understanding equals kiss?"

"Yes, yes I have." He grabbed a hold of my hand as we headed to his house.

"Well, then you have just understood another part of me, or did you? Do you get the kiss? I think you should tell me the answer."

He bit the corner of his lip. Then he grinned. "Yeah, I do." He grabbed me up to be taller than him by at least six inches, and kissed me. It was very passionate, very in the middle of the side walk too.

Dating, it's a wonderful thing. Kissing is a wonderful thing. Aires is a wonderful being. This moment would be perfect if frozen.

Unfortunately it didn't freeze. The world kept spinning. In one minuet he kissed me, the next a stake flew by his ear again, and he froze then looked at me. I looked down at him and his face was just as petrified as I imagined mine to be, "Shit!" this is so frustrating. He released me, and my feet met with the ground. The damn guy was hunting him still. "What are you in debt or something?"

He looked at me and rolled his eyes.

"Well, it's possible." I pushed him aside and tied my hair up quickly, to prepare for defense. I faced the way the stake came from. "Come out; come out, where ever you are." I sang out to the hunter.

No response.

"Don't make me find you again. Just make it easy on me and you."

No response.

This was really pissing me off. "Okay, fine." I closed my eyes to connect with nature, I hate having to listen to nature. I'll have to dump some garbage somewhere, maybe spit out my gum. Litter and loiter, that's my motto.

I finally, found him. He was lying low, behind one of the helpful lake bushes. "Okay, I see you so, you want to just stand up so I don't have do drag you out?" I asked with annoyance ringing through my voice.

"I don't think he wants to." Aires added helpfully.

I glared at him. "Alright fine." I walked behind the bush. I saw him lying there on the ground and grabbed him at the ankles. "Let's go." Then I started mumbling to myself. "Stupid people, have to make this hard on me."

Aires heard me and grinned. "So who are you, and why do you want to kill me? And who taught you to throw, you have terrible aim."

I grinned at Aires questions. "So… did you gamble with Aires and loose or something?"

He half turned for an answer. He wore a mask, blue jeans, and a hooded sweat shirt, with the hood up.

"Not much of a talker, I take it?" I asked.

There was still no response.

"Fine then, let's go." Still holding his ankles I started walking and signaled for Aires to follow.

"Where are we going?" Aires asked.

"To discover who this is and why he keeps trying to kill you." I answered as plain as day.

"Alright," he agreed. He picked up his arms and helped me carry him.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Chapter 13**_

We stopped in an abandon parking lot to an abandon old factory. I kicked in the door and proceeded in. It wasn't long before I found a chair, but there was no rope so I detached the chains off Aires pants. I tied the hunter's feet and arms to the chair. Then I pulled Aires away from the hunter for a conference.

"So, is he human?" I started.

"No."

"Okay, free rang to kill." I nodded. "Vamp?" I asked I needed a way to kill him just incase.

"Yeah, I think." He nodded. "He didn't feel to warm on his hands."

"Alright, all we need now is a face." I turned and walked to the defendant. I reached out and took off the mask. When I saw who it was I almost passed out. My knees buckled from under me and I fell to the floor.

"Hey Dru, are you surprised?" He ginned.

Aires tended to my side in the same moment I fell. "Dru, are you okay?"

My eyes were huge. My mouth hung open. I wanted to ask how. I wanted to tell Aires I'd fine. But I couldn't.

"Damn it." Aires cursed.

"What's the matter Dru? Does this scare you? Not used to seeing people you know in this form?"

I couldn't believe it. This vampire was mocking me, and was Kyle. The thought of his name in my head awakened me from the trance. "Kyle?"

He grinned. "In the flesh babe."

I winced in anger. Not because he was here or a vampire. It was because of his smart ass nerve to call me babe. I was suddenly fueled by a hateful rage. Adrenalin was a better word for it. I could feed off it and go on forever. I hated Kyle with such a passion that it wouldn't die until he did. He tried to kill my boyfriend, he manhandled me for so long that I needed it, I thrived on it. All my previous boyfriends had been chased away because of him.

How dare he, the fucking bastard. Who the hell does he think he is? I clenched my teeth and in the same instant I was on my feet. I grabbed him by his throat and launched him across the room. The chair splintered away.

I stalked toward him. I grabbed him up again by his throat. And picked him up and pinned him to the wall. "Funny, I always thought about killing you, but I never had the chance. Well, now I do and I think I'll take that gratefully and make you drink holy water." I grinned, and then turned to Aires.

He was wincing at the thought of the pain.

"Aires, do you think you can hold him here? I need to go get holy water."

He looked a little unbelieving in what I was saying. "Umm…what the hell did this kid do to you? I mean, I don't think you understand the pain."

"Well, do you want to really know what this," I used the only word I thought fit. "Pig, did to me?"

"Yeah, I mean if I'm going to hold him while he drinks holy water." He shrugged.

I sighed; I was so angry that I was clutching down so hard on Kyle's neck I could feel his skin forming under my nails. I loosened my grip and turned to him. "When did you get turned?"

He looked up at me with anger. "Friday, after school, I was looking for you. I saw you fighting with your," he winced and glared at Aires. "Boyfriend." He scoffed. "And I was going to tell you. But I couldn't find you. So I sat in the cemetery I saw you in before. Sure you showed up but it was too late. I was attacked, from behind. It was this woman; she had a sweet smell to her. I remember from when she bit down the smell was so addicting. I turned to her, it may have been wrong, but I couldn't help it. When she saw my affection, not fear, I suppose she decided to spare me." He looked up at me.

I rolled my eyes. "And, you just drank her blood?"

He sighed. "Well, because I didn't have enough blood she did give me some of hers. She cut her chest, beneath her neck. I did go to pull away, but she held my head and brought me closer. Again the smell brought me in. I drank the blood, it tasted fantastic. Not too sweet not too bitter. The perfect mix." He closed his eyes going back to the memory. "Not at all what human blood taste like. Sure human blood is fine, but vampire blood is just so much better. Or maybe that's just for humans. I haven't tried vampire blood in this form." Again he closed his eyes. He smelled the air. "Let me tell you Dru, your smell is fantastic." He rolled his tongue over his teeth behind his lips. Then he opened his mouth revealing the fangs.

Aires was at my side suddenly. His fist was in Kyle's face.

"Stop!" I urged.

Aires did as I said and turned to me. "So this is what he did to you, tortured you?" Aires was pissed.

"Yes, it is. His method was worst before. He'd wrap his arms around me, touching me, saying things I couldn't forgive twenty years from now."

"Don't act like you didn't like it Dru." Kyle smiled in his sick psychotic way. "I stopped and you played me back into it. You needed it. I made you feel wonderful. I could have made you feel that forever, all I asked for was you. Just you at my side." He looked up at me with fierce eyes. "But you wouldn't let me! So you love this, joke. Do you have any idea of his age?"

"Yes I do."

"It doesn't disturb you that you're dating an old man?" he looked at me like I was stupid to pass him up.

"No, it doesn't." I bent down and grabbed a stake from the remains of the chair and pressed it against his chest.

He cried out in pain from my deep press.

I twisted it for more of an effect.

He gritted his teeth together.

"Do you have an apology?" I asked. It was my way of getting back. All I needed was him to say sorry; he was going to die anyway. His parents would have to go on looking for someone that was never going to be found. If he had any friends outside of the gang and me, if he did they would never see him again. Even mourn him. I really didn't care though. I hated him in these moments, and I wanted him dead.

"No." he spat through his teeth.

"Fine then, you have a nice trip, on your way to hell." I shove the stake the rest of the way through his heart. He was dust, and never to hurt me again.


	14. Chapter 14

_**Chapter 14**_

For obvious reasons, we didn't go to Aires house, mostly because it was too late though. It was almost dawn so, instead we snuck up him in my room were we spent the night, well, until waking up hours for a Sunday.

Around 12:40 I woke up, Aires woke up too. I asked if it would be cool if I hung out with the other group of people today and if he could get out with out my help. He said yes and was totally fine with me leaving. I had the perfect boyfriend. I kissed him good bye, then left.

I hadn't made actual plans for the day. I figured I would sit in the park alone, and think. I had just been sitting there for awhile now it was about 1:15 when I had the sad emotion hit me. I figured that Aires would be sleeping, and he was unreachable so I decided that I would call Dave.

The dial tone changed to a ring. Dave picked up. "Hey Dru, what's up?" Dave asked with curiosity in his voice.

"Hey, umm Dave can you come down to the Park Ave. Park?" I could hear the sad in my voice.

"Yeah, yeah, what's wrong?" he asked with a sudden concern.

"I'll tell you when you get here, can you just hurry and get here I really need to talk."

"Yeah, I'll be here in fifteen minutes, okay."

I mumbled an agreement, but he didn't hear me.

"Okay Dru?" he urged.

"Yeah, fine, just hurry."

"Okay, fifteen minutes, clock me." He promised. "Bye."

"Bye." I snapped the phone shut.

Dave finally ran up one minuet early.

He smiled as he was up.

"You're early," I smirked. "by a minuet."

"Oh, I'm sorry." he said as he sat down next to me on the bench. "So, why did you call me here in such a rush?"

I looked up at him and could feel the shame in my face. "I killed Kyle."

"What?" He was shocked.

I realized that I left out crucial information about that. "No, he was turned vamp. I found him, well, he found me, yester day on my way home."

"So you staked him?"

I nodded. "Yeah, all my hate and anger came out; I almost made him drink holy water. I mean after all he did to me I could finally get some kind of even. I pressed the stake into his chest, so that he could feel it. Then I asked for an apology, he refused. Now he's a pile of dust in that building between Chapin, and West Ave." I looked up, I wanted him to approve, I wanted him to understand. I couldn't be sure he would.

He sighed; I didn't think that was a very good sign. "Okay, so, you finally put and end to the bastard." He smiled.

"So you think I did the right thing?"

"Well, he did do shit to you. Even with the whole vampire thing aside, he still pretty much tortured you. Dru, you had a right to act how you did, you didn't do anything wrong. He did unforgettable things to you, he pretty much brain washed you. I'm willing to bet my life savings he still said things to torturer you in his last moments." He looked me in the eye. "Didn't he?"

I recalled the whole night. "Yes, he did." I admitted, I felt the adrenalin run through my veins again. I turned my neck to sink in to the power. My neck cracked and like the breaking of a glow stick, I felt it. "I remember the power it got, from the hate of him. I held him by the throat against the wall. I held him so tight I felt his skin forming beneath my nails. I had to release some so that he could talk." I stopped I realized that I might be scaring him. I looked up worried. The adrenalin left my body. I felt a chill on the inside of my body.

His eyes were wide.

I was sorrier than I've ever been before. I had just scared my best friend out of a memory.

"Dave, Dave, I'm sorry." I felt sick. "Dave, I didn't mean to scare you."

He didn't respond.

"Dave, talk to me."

He snapped back. "Okay, I'll start with a question; what the hell is he doing here?" He gestured over my shoulder.

I was so confused. I knew no one was there. I tuned even though I didn't believe it. "Dave there's no one the-…" I didn't get the time to finish my sentence, because what I saw astonished and angered me, Aires. "What the hell?" I shouted. Then I turned the rest of the way around not taking my eyes off him. I was so pissed.

"I thought you killed him Dru?" Dave called from behind me, pulling my attention back to him.

"Uh…" I turned breaking my stair on Aires to talk to him. "No," I finally said when I faced him. "I didn't, but I didn't tell you I did, I just didn't tell you I didn't." I smiled trying to convince him not to be mad. Like that would do it.

"Why Dru, why did you keep him?" He stared at me like he didn't know me. Like we never met and I just made the worst first impression. "You killed every other one that ever crossed your path. You even killed Kyle, not that the bastard didn't deserve it, why him Dru?" he stared me in the eye. "Why, what's so special about him. I mean he just showed up one day." He was so pissed at me; I didn't know what to tell him.

I could go with the truth but would it be good enough. "Dave, I can't kill him."  
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he wanted a better answer.

"He can't kill me either. We don't know exactly why, but we can't. The real problem is…" I couldn't bring myself to tell him. I knew he wouldn't believe it.

"What the hell _is_ the problem, Dru?"

"Its just we have…We've kind of decided that…" I couldn't do it. I looked back to Aires, for strength. Then I looked back at Dave, my face spilled the news all over.

The look on Dave's face was tragic. He shook his head in disbelief. "You're not." He looked in my eyes, my sorrowful eyes. "Dru, tell me you're not, dating a vampire."

I frowned "Dave please, you don't have to understand yet, but just don't tell anyone, please." I looked in his eyes to make him promise. No matter how pissed he was he would never break that eye promise we make.

He looked at me with furious eyes. If I weren't like his little sister, and a girl he would have hit me. "You're joking, right?" He just couldn't accept it.

"No Dave. Just please don't tell."

"Well how can I tell anyone? I mean this would rip Max to pieces if he found out." He closed his eyes. "Listen, I can live with this, just, Max is still crazy in love with you. I don't want him to find out until he has to, Okay?" he looked at me.

I did the only thing I could do, I agreed. "Yeah, yeah, diaphaneity." I reached forward and hugged him around the neck. "Thank you, thank you so much."

He hugged me back. I was grateful. It meant he really did care. He was going to really forgive me. Look past the slayer vampire relationship I was in. I couldn't lose him, I couldn't lose Aires either. How the hell could I? I didn't know why, but I just felt head over feet for Aires. Dave, well we're best friends, how the hell could I have gambled that. I knew exactly how. I couldn't get out either.

I spent the rest of the day with Aires and Dave. They were the two most protective people I had ever had the pleasure of knowing. They did grow to liking each other; they had many things in common. Like their clothes, and the music they listen to. Some bands I have never even heard of. They liked the same teams, though I only watched football. They were like brothers, eventually.

At first they fought. Dave didn't like Aires because he was a vampire. Aires didn't like Dave because he didn't like him, because he was a vampire. But eventually, they got along by naming things they had in common. They laughed at jokes I didn't, quit frankly, get. They took an odd pleasure in laughing and making fun of me, but I was fine with it, so long as they got along.

Soon mine and Dave's phone's rang. Criss on Dave's, and Max on mine, when Dave looked at the color I.D. his face light up.

I grinned at his face, and then almost frowned as I looked at mine. "Hello." I spoke into the receiver.

"Hey Dru," Max sang into the other end.

"What's, up?" I asked

"Where are you?"

"Hanging out with, Dave," I left out Aires name out. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Well, I'm here with Criss and Jack. Where exactly are you?"

I looked up at the street sign. "Granger Street."

"Oh, okay we'll be there soon meet us at the corner of Main and Granger."

"Umm…okay then." I said I looked up at Aires; I didn't want him to leave.

"Bye," the receiving end was still there.

"Oh, Ah… bye." I shut the phone.

"Aires," I looked him in the eyes. "They're coming; I think you have to go." I held his hands. I looked around him to Dave. His conversation was already over. "Does he have to go, do you think?"

"Yeah, unless you would, like to tell everyone about Aires. Maxi might even start hunting him." He looked at me; I knew he spoke the truth.

"Oh, Fine." I turned back to Aires. "I guess you have to go, soon but not just yet." I grabbed his hands tighter, and then wrapped my hands around his waist as to forbid him from leaving and keep him there. Not that he was going any where. I wanted him to stay and that was a good enough reason for him. I leaned my chin against is chest and looked up at him. We locked eyes; it was a happy moment I smiled.

Then I remembered Dave. I pulled my head up off Aires chest. Then I looked around him to Dave. "Should we start walking?" I asked.

"Well, I it think it would be best." he agreed.

"Okay." Aires nodded. Then I grabbed his hand and we walked to the corner.

When we got to the corner I looked down Main Street, in search of my friends that didn't know about Aires. I saw them so faintly that I knew they probably didn't see me.

I sighed; my arms wrapped around Aires waist again then glanced up at him. "I guess you have to go now." Then I looked to the ground my forehead was on his chest.

He crouched and lifted my chin eye to eye with him in his crouch. "I'll be around later." He leaned forward and gave me an extremely soft kiss. Then he was gone. I would have at least waved to him but I didn't know what way he went.

I looked up at Dave. "You're sure that it would be better to wait on telling them?" I asked hopeful that he would change his mind.

"Yeah, unless you would like, Max to go into depression."

I sighed, I hated that he knew best. "Okay, so should we meet them half way or something?"

"I suppose." We walked down to start the night's events.


End file.
